


honey // dallas winston

by sereiins



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Angst, F/M, Lots of drinking, Toxic Relationship, also im editing this as i post so bear with me, also johnny is fucking hilarious, also johnny is gay, also on Wattpad, am i projecting?? hmm, and im bad at fillers, dally and johnny live, dally is actually kinda nice?????, idk im bad at planning, like very, mentions of abuse, not sorry abt it, slow burn i guess, soda and oc are bffs, sodas a himbo, using a lot of my own hcs for this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:01:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27236188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sereiins/pseuds/sereiins
Summary: in the heat of the summer, two hearts become one.After running from a past she swears never to speak of, Georgia Glory winds up working the night shift at a 24-hour diner in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hoping and praying to finally be free from what she fled, she keeps to herself.Three years after -another- near-death experience, Dallas Winston remains in the one place he ever considered home. Surrounded by his family -the Curtis brothers, Two-Bit Matthews, Steve Randle, and Johnny Cade- Dallas had managed to somewhat pull himself together.Two young adults in the Oklahoma heat try and make their way in the world. Between an "unbreakable" promise, a fearsome past, and a boy with a rowdy spirit, what's the worst that could happen?This story takes place in 1968.
Relationships: Dallas Winston/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 26





	1. Key Lime Pie

**Key Lime Pie**   
July 22, 1968

Tulsa was hot, especially in the summer. The flat, dirt landscape was a pro at trapping in heat. Even at 12:30 in the morning, the air had a sticky feel to it. It crept in from everywhere. It came from cracks in the walls, from underneath the front door, it poured in from the ceiling, and it couldn't be stopped.

The AC unit in Paulette's Diner had broken two days prior, and not one employee knew how to fix it. The walls beaded with condensation. It was stifling. The constant heat of the griddle didn't help either.

When Georgia had first got the job, she'd agreed to work nights. The diner was 24 hours and the idea of being up bright and early with a smile on her face haunted her. At least working nights you had an excuse if your mood was off. This was however hindered by the fact that she was always tired, and it was either extremely busy or extremely slow.

Paulette's was just a few blocks off I-64, a common highway for cross country travelers. Most people that came in were from either side of the country, never from Oklahoma. Of course, there were the regulars, but they rarely showed before 6:15.

Tips weren't great either. Being that most people were from out of town, they had the luxury of tipping terribly and never having to see Georgia again. All in all, it was a bad job. But it was something.

At 12:32 AM Georgia officially clocked in. She tied her white apron around her classic blue diner dress and made her way to the front counter. There she immediately turned her back to the door and grabbed herself a steaming cup of black coffee. That was one of the very few perks of the job.

Georgia had figured tonight would be slow. It had been in the 90s all day long, meaning most people were planning on staying in their homes. Plus, the sign outside signaling the broken AC was a turn-off to most prospective customers.

She leaned up against the counter, watching Lonnie, the chef (and her boss), scrape the griddle clean. She idly sipped her coffee, praying someone would come in. At this point she didn't care about the tips, she just wanted something to do.

By 2:37, a total of eight people had come in, making a total of 3.50 in tips for Georgia. She stashed her money in the pocket of her apron as she cleared the last table. She had another 8 hours ahead of her. Paulette's was severely understaffed.

As she brought the dishes back to the dishwasher, two cars came swerving into the parking lot. This was never a good sign. Georgia could take cranky seniors and crabby kids, but belligerent teens were a whole other story.

As she came back around the counter, a group of 7 boys came sauntering in, whooping and hollering. Georgia never understood how boys had so much energy all the time. It concerned her at times.

They took no notice of the waitress at the counter and quickly settled into the far booth along the left wall. It was as if it were made for them. They seemed right at home which surprised Georgia as she'd never seen them before. She gave them a minute to get settled while grabbing seven glasses of water to bring over.

She said a silent prayer and brought over the waters on a black tray. The boys were deep in conversation when she arrived at the table.

She handed out the drinks as she spoke, "You seem right at home so I'll assume we won't be needing menus?"

All at once, the chatter stopped. Seven pairs of eyes were trained on Georgia as she pulled out a notepad and pressed the serving tray to her hip.

"Something I said?" she asked incredulously. Not one boy blinked.

"You're not Mary," one of them in the center spoke. She laughed.

"That is correct," she replied. She flipped the notepad closed. A strange feeling grew inside her, but she couldn't tell if it was worry or excitement.

"Mary's just the waitress that used to work nights. We just weren't expecting someone who wasn't 50," another boy spoke. He was noticeably taller than the others and clearly the eldest.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint. You come here often then, do you?" Georgia questioned.

"Afternoons mostly. Nights like this are for special occasions," another one spoke. She was having a hard time keeping track of the group.

"Special occasions, huh?"

"Ponyboy here is 17 years old. Finally becomin' a man," the boy nearest Georgia spoke. He clapped a hand down on the shoulder of the boy next to him.

"Ponyboy. That sure is original," Georgia smiled. Ponyboy smiled back at her.

"Yes, ma'am. That there is my brother Sodapop, and the one there is Darry," Ponyboy pointed the two out.

"Rest of you have names or should I call you 4, 5, 6, and 7? Figure I should get to know my regulars."

"I'm Two-Bit. Real name's Keith but no one calls me that," Two-Bit sat nearest Georgia. He had kind eyes.

"I'm Johnny," a tan boy along the back of the booth spoke up. She couldn't help but notice he was covered in scars. She tried not to look but he caught on. "Fire."

Georgia nodded as it moved to the next boy.

"Steve," Steve was next to Johnny, he seemed to be staring at nothing.

The last boy was closest to Georgia on the other side of the round booth. He was different from the rest, she caught it immediately. Something about him was cold and calculated. It was almost as if he was waiting for something to happen, or perhaps waiting to start something. His features were dark, and he had his feet kicked up on the table. He wore a large pair of black boots.

"And you are?" Georgia inquired.

"Why don't you tell us your name and I'll tell you mine?" he smirked. Georgia realized she'd been interrogating the boys without giving them her name. And of course, her nametag was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm Georgia," Georgia bowed jokingly, earning a chuckle from a few of the guys.

"I'll be damned. Someone else has a place name in this dump," the last boy snickered. He focused his eyes back on his shoes.

Johnny spoke up from the back, "His name's Dallas since he seems to have forgotten it."

"Dallas," Georgia repeated.

"Dally, actually. No one calls me Dallas."

"Dally, got it," Georgia tapped her head with her pencil, "Now how about something to eat?"

Fifteen minutes of debating later, Georgia finally had their orders. Not to mention the orders of the six others that had wandered in. This is when serving was a nightmare.

Lonnie cooked as quickly as he could and Georgia served even faster. She swayed through the diner sliding plates across tables with ease.

After what seemed like forever, all the food was out and she could finally sip some more coffee. She watched from behind the bar to make sure everyone was satisfied. The group of boys was completely engulfed in their own world, almost as if they'd forgotten where they were.

By 3:45 the others had cleared, and only the gang remained. Georgia cut seven slices of pie from the key lime sitting up on the counter. She had cleared away the group's dishes a while ago.

"Pie gets thrown out at 10 so," she slid the plates to each of the boys, "figured you guys could make good use of it." They watched in wonder.

"We didn't order-" Darry started.

"On the house. Happy birthday, Ponyboy," she smiled. She walked away hoping for a decent tip as selfish as it was. But bills didn't wait for her to have money. Plus her car was desperately low on gas.

The boys devoured the pie in no time at all. After a few more minutes of sitting, Georgia brought out the bill.

"I'm sure I'll see you all soon," she laid the receipt down and waited over by the register.

The group bickered for a minute before Sodapop came over, cash in hand.

"Thanks for everything. I dunno about them but I'll be comin' another night real soon," he smiled as he handed her the cash. She smiled at the boy who quickly returned to his friends.

They all got up and left, all but Dally waving goodbye. This didn't surprise her. From only a brief interaction she could tell there was something about him.

She collected the tip from the table and shoved it in her pocket without looking. There were two others in the diner now, and if she counted her tips in front of them, it would've made her look rude.

When 10:30 rolled around, Georgia was sleep-deprived, disheveled, and ready to go home. Louise, the morning shift came in to relieve her. She clocked out immediately and ran to her car.

She turned it over and sped out of the parking lot at an alarming speed. She had completely forgotten she was low on gas, so when her car came to a sputtering stop three blocks from the gas station, she was deeply upset.

She shuffled around in her car for her apron which she'd removed upon leaving. She pulled out the money from her pocket and counted it up. There were 17 dollars in all. Most of it was loose change. She sorted the bills and stuffed them into the overhead compartment, leaving the change in the cupholder next to her.

She quickly realized she didn't have a gas container. So, she put her car in neutral, got out, and began to push. Cars sped past, likely on their way to work or on lunch breaks. Not one slowed to offer help. Georgia pushed as hard as she could, the car moved only slightly.

In five minutes she'd made about eight feet of headway. She decided walking to the gas station, buying a gas container, and filling it to bring back to her car was probably a way better idea. So, she leaned in the window, grabbed the change, and walked down the road to the station. She was still in her blue dress and now had dirt kicked up onto her shoes and tights. What a day.

When she finally got to the station she went inside to browse for something to fill. From behind the counter, a voice spoke up.

"Didn't think I'd be seein' you again for a few days," Georgia recognized it as one of the boys from earlier. She turned and faced the counter where she found Sodapop eyeing her.

"Me neither," Georgia said tiredly. She yawned on her way to the counter. "You sell gas containers?"

"Tryin' to start a fire?" the boy asked inquisitively.

"Yes actually," she said sincerely. Soda's eyes widened. "Joking, obviously. My car stopped three blocks from here and the old thing won't budge."

Soda walked to the door to eye the car. It sat down the road tilted into a rut.

"You call that old? You and I have very different ideas of things Miss Georgia. That's one of the prettiest goddamn cars I've ever seen," Soda exclaimed, "Steve get your ass out here."

Steve sauntered out from a back room to look where Soda was pointing. Georgia sighed. Two of seven of the gang were now ogling at her dead car as she stood in the DX. She was a tired mess and despite their kindness, was frankly not in the mood. She shoved aside her fatigue for a second.

"Any way you'd help me push it?"


	2. Cherry Coke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia challenges Dally to a drinking game.

** Cherry Coke **  
July 22, 1968

After finally getting Georgia's car into the DX lot, and filled with gas, the three made their way back inside the station.

"I still just wanna know where in the hell you got a nice car like that in a place like here," Soda was leaned against the counter, eyeing the girl's car.

"Stole it," Georgia laughed. Once again the boys' eyes widened. "I'm starting to realize I'm not great at jokes. It was a gift, kinda."

"Well whoever gave you that as a gift, I'd like to meet 'em," Steve replied.

 _No, you don't_ , Georgia thought. "Maybe I'll let you drive it one day."

Sodapop looked at Steve. Both boys were looking at the girl with love in their eyes.

"Well, I should, uh, probably head home, and sleep," Georgia nodded. This shook the boys out of their stupor.

"Oh wait, before you go," Soda walked towards the girl, "we're havin' a party for Ponyboy later, you should swing by." Sodapop scratched the back of his neck. Steve was still staring at the car.

"You met me 8 hours ago, for all you know I could be a wanted woman," Georgia raised her eyebrows, "besides I don't want to intrude."

"Ah, come on. I planned it, so I can invite whoever I want. Plus, I doubt anyone wanted for anything would drive such an eye-catcher."

Georgia chuckled, "You're probably right. What time?"

"8:30. It's at Buck's. It's a 'bar' near the east side," Steve finally spoke.

"No way you're throwing a 17-year-old a party at a bar," Georgia smiled.

"Kid's been drinking since age 14," Soda laughed, "And by the looks of you, I'll guess you have, too."

Georgia clapped a hand over her heart sarcastically, "Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"You have that way about you," Soda shrugged. He eyed Georgia a second longer before speaking again. "But you should come. Ponyboy wouldn't shut up about how pretty he thinks you are."

"You're gonna have to let him down for me, because I'm almost 21. Anyway..." Georgia glanced at the clock above the counter. It was almost 11:30 in the morning. "Tonight conveniently happens to be my night off. I'll see you later then."

Georgia gave the pair one last smile before turning to walk to her car. Before opening the door she turns back around, "Anything I need to bring?"

"Alcohol," Steve and Soda said in sync.

"I'm _almost_ 21\. How am I supposed to do that?" Georgia inquired.

"Just give the store clerk that same sad puppy dog look you gave us when you asked us to push your car," Soda smirked. She could hear him teasing. Despite only having known each other for mere hours, Georgia could feel a strong connection between them.

"You're an ass," she said incredulously. She continued towards her car.

"Bring booze or you're not gettin' in!"

Georgia stuck her middle finger up at Sodapop as she climbed into her car. The feeling that had been growing inside her since the early hours of the morning grew bigger. She could tell this time that it was a mix of excitement and happiness.

As she drove towards her apartment, she broke into a smile. Things were looking up for once. Plus, she already had, at least, one friend.

\----

Georgia slept for the majority of the afternoon. She woke up at seven, still in her waitressing uniform. She was groggy and frankly still exhausted. However, she figured Sodapop had likely told the rest of the gang she'd make an appearance. So, staying in bed was not an option.

After a warm shower and several cups of coffee, Georgia was functioning like normal. She glanced at the clock after finally getting dressed and realized it was almost 8:30.

"Fuck," she said, hopping around trying to pull on her other shoe, "fuck, fuck."

Shortly after managing to get into her shoes, she grabbed her keys and ran out to her car. She still had to stop at a store and find a lonely-enough middle-aged man to sell her hard liquor. Surprisingly, this was easier than putting on her shoes.

She stopped at a small store off of the main road and sauntered in. She tried to look as sweet and innocent as possible which was not at all her strong suit. After a few minutes of fake browsing, she walked up to the counter with a 6 pack of beer. Behind the man at the counter was a shelving unit full of liquor.

"Can I get a bottle of Jack and a bottle of Jameson please?" she smiled sweetly.

"Sure thing," he turned around and pulled them off of the shelf, "can I just check your license?"

Georgia nodded and pulled her wallet from her jacket. She ruffled through it, careful not to show the inside of the wallet to the clerk.

"Shit," she muttered to herself. She hoped her scheme would work.

"Everything alright?" the man asked.

"No, my stupid little sister stole my license again. She does this every time she goes out," she closes her wallet and begins to put it away, "I'm sorry I'll go."

"Kid sister, huh? Had a brother like that," he rung up the alcohol, "7.67."

"Are you sure? Gosh, you're a lifesaver," Georgia pulled a ten out of her wallet.

"No worries," he rounded up the change and bagged the liquor. After handing Georgia her change back he said, "Just make sure you've got it next time."

"Yes, I will, thank you so much," Georgia beamed at the man and grabbed the bag. She walked quickly to her car, knowing that it was almost 9.

Buck's wasn't far from the store and was closer to her apartment than she initially realized. She pulled up in the lot at 9:10. She could hear the music from inside her car. The windows had a reddish-purple glow to them. Georgia grabbed the alcohol, climbed out of her car, and locked the door.

She was slightly anxious at this point. From what she could see, there were a lot of people inside, and she only knew a few of them.

 _Do I knock?_ she thought, _No it's a party house you idiot, just walk in._

So that's what she did. She was immediately greeted by a blushy Sodapop. She saw Steve out of the corner of her eye playing some game with a bunch of girls. Darry appeared to be playing pool and also was likely the only sober one in the room.

"You are 40 minutes late, Miss Georgia," Sodapop looked at her with fake contempt.

"Yeah well I had to pick up the goods," Georgia held up the bag in her hand. Soda's eyes got wide like saucers.

"Miss Georgia, you really are my hero," Soda smiled, "Everyone! This is Georgia and she brought more booze!"

Georgia shook her head and laughed as everyone cheered at her announcement.

"Soda, I don't understand why you needed me to bring alcohol to a bar," Georgia followed him back to where the makeshift bar was.

"That's because Buck here," Soda slung his arm around a taller, lankier guy, "gets his alcohol illegally. So sometimes the stock is low. Figured we'd need extra."

"Soda, I also got my alcohol illegally. I'm not 21 remember." Soda sighed at this.

"It's the thought that counts," he helped Georgia put the beer and liquor onto the bar for Buck to stuff onto his shelves. Soda told Georgia he'd be back, likely running off to get Ponyboy. She was dumbfounded at how drunk he was after only 30 minutes of officially partying. He was the life of it though, and not in a bad way.

"Buck, you got any cherry coke?" Georgia asked.

"Yeah," he leaned down behind the bar. When he stood up he slid her a bottle across the table.

"Can I also get a decent-sized pour of whiskey?" she smiled. Buck nodded. He was quieter than she expected for someone that allowed parties like this in their house.

Buck passed her the cup. He watched as she poured the coke in, almost in disgust.

"Cherry coke and whiskey? That's the girliest shit I've ever seen," this time it wasn't Buck speaking.

"Believe it or not it tastes good," she turned around to face Dallas, who was standing dangerously close to her.

"What you can't drink it straight?" the tall boy smirked. He was holding a cup of what she assumed to be liquor.

"Oh, I most certainly can," Georgia smiled devilishly. Dally took this as a threat.

"You know, Buck has this little game called Drink or Drop, and I'm undefeated," Dally chuckled.

"Then I guess you won't mind if I try and beat you?" Georgia downed the last of her drink. Her cheeks were heating up. She couldn't tell if it was the whiskey or the fact the Dally was six inches from her face.

"Fine by me," Dally moved away and began speaking to Buck. Georgia finally let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Sodapop finally rushed over with a very pink Ponyboy on his arm. Both boys looked concerned.

"I leave you for five minutes, and you're gonna face off Dally in a drinking game?" Soda says. There was genuine fear in his eyes.

"Yeah, probably not my greatest move," Georgia crossed her arms.

"Do you even know what the game is?" Ponyboy chimed in. Georgia was starting to worry.

"No, I didn't get that far."

"Well basically it-," Soda was cut off by a booming voice. The music had been cut.

Buck was now announcing to the crowd, what was about to happen.

"Alright! Everyone, on behalf of Ponyboy, I want to say thanks for coming!" everyone erupted in claps, "However, I believe it's time to really get the party started. As y'all know, Dally Winston is the reigning champ of a little game I call Drink or Drop." There were more cheers. Georgia felt a lump growing inside her.

"Dally has a challenger. Georgia over there, thinks she can beat Dally. Now, since Georgia is new, we're gonna go over the rules. The game is simple: each round consists of taking a single shot and then walking across the bar. The first one who falls off the bar, into a crowd of people who will catch you, loses. As a reminder, Dally's record is 10."

Soda grabbed Georgia's shoulder, "Please, please don't die."

"Soda, I'm not going to die," she laughed, "Plus, I wouldn't want this to be Ponyboy's worst birthday ever."

"Contestants, when you're ready, head over here please," Buck waved at Georgia and Dally.

"I'll be there to catch you if you fall," Soda nodded seriously, "good luck."


	3. Raspberries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia and Dally face-off at Buck's.

** Raspberries **  
July 22, 1968

Dally stared Georgia right in the eyes.

 _You just made the worst mistake of your life_ , she thought.

"Georgia, are you ready?" Buck asked. She nodded in response, winking at Dally in the process. A couple of guys nearby "oohed" in response.

"You're going down, princess."

"We'll see."

"Alright, Georgia since you're new, you can pick the liquor," Buck moved out of the way to show the wall behind him.

"Let's do whatever Dally here picks every time," Georgia nodded her head at the already angry boy.

"Alright," Buck pulled a large bottle of Smirnoff off the shelf. Georgia smiled to herself. She believed she had a shot.

"I cap the game at 12 shots. No one's dying in my house," Buck told the two. He saw that they were both rearing to go. He'd never seen two people so eager to be grossly intoxicated. "Okay, first one. Here you go."

The first five rounds were a piece of cake. Dallas and Georgia threw back their shots in sync and paraded across the bar with ease. Georgia had realized though how this could be difficult once she was inebriated. The makeshift bar was thin. It barely counted as a counter. It was merely a barrier between the crowds and the copious amounts of alcohol behind it. Balancing on it to begin with was of slight difficulty. She was worried about what might happen once the alcohol really began to hit.

By round six, Georgia was feeling it and she could see Dally was too.

"Alright, number seven."

Once again the pair drank in sync. Dallas climbed onto the bar and began walking. Halfway through he stumbled and attempted to play it off as a ploy. Georgia pursed her lips. She was next. She climbed onto the now very sticky bartop, and practically glid across the wood. She caught Dally biting his lip from the corner of her eye. He was getting nervous.

Rounds eight and nine passed quickly. Dallas was visibly hot. His cheeks were rosy, and he had decided to remove his jean jacket. The pair realized they were wearing nearly identical outfits: blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a silver necklace. The only difference is that Georgia wore black and white sneakers, and Dally had on a pair of large black boots. The pair looked at each other and immediately sat back down.

"Everyone, round 10!" Buck called out. The few that had lost interest returned. It was over almost after it started. Dallas and Georgia both walked across the bar without faltering. Buck looked afraid.

After round 11, everyone was on their feet. Buck capped the game at 12, so there were three possible endings to the game: Dally falls, and Georgia wins; Georgia falls and, Dally wins, or neither falls and the first-ever Drink or Drop tie happens.

Dally looked pissed. Until this point, someone had always failed in round 10. And now, he was close to blacking out. Georgia felt the same. Buck had taken her keys away from her, saying "No one's dying leaving my house either."

Buck filled the shot glasses for the final round. Georgia felt like puking; Dally could barely sit up straight. They drank in unison. Dally climbed up on the bar, stumbling and angry. He walked slowly, making sure not to slip, or trip, or do anything to let Georgia win. Incredibly, he made it across the bar. After climbing down, he grabbed a bottle of water and chugged.

Georgia followed. She climbed up and kept her head down. The group around her were cheering, hoping that someone would dethrone Dallas Winston. She walked slowly, so much so she couldn't even tell if she was moving. And then it was over.

She took her last step at the end of the bar top as the crowd erupted. Sodapop, who was now relatively sober, ran over.

"Holy shit! Holy! Shit! You tied him," he was in disbelief. Georgia tried to smile but she was so drunk she couldn't feel her face. "God Dally, she's a keeper." Dallas shrugged at this as he walked away, but he couldn't deny it. Georgia, unlike most everyone else in Tulsa, was cool.

Soda wrapped his arms around Georgia's frame and hugged her lightly. When she let go, she too grabbed a bottle of water and chugged. Buck walked over shaking his head in amazement. He held onto a Polaroid.

"Didn't think you'd make it at one point. Nice job kid," he held up the camera, "smile for the wall of fame."

Georgia smiled as big as she could and squeezed her eyes shut.

"What's your last name? For the wall."

"Glory," Georgia mumbled. She gave Buck a thumbs up and sauntered into another room to find Dally grinning at her in disbelief.

"I feel like I should definitely be pissed, but I'm so impressed that I'm not," Dally spoke. He was sitting on the couch, tossing raspberries into his mouth one by one. "Helps with the hangover." There was a slight slur to his voice, but not nearly as bad as Georgia's. If anything, his voice was calmer and smoother than before.

"Raspberries don't absorb anything, how does that help?" Georgia asked. Most people eat bread or pizza as their drunk food. Dallas Winston ate raspberries.

"Maybe they don't. I just like 'em," Dally smiled and pushed the container towards Georgia. He nodded at them as if to say "take some". So she did.

"Thank you," Georgia collapsed next to him on the couch. She popped a few into her mouth but struggled to chew, "I cannot feel my face."

Dally broke into laughter. He looked at her to find her poking her cheeks.

"Buck took your keys I hope?" Dallas asked. Georgia nodded slowly. "Yeah, mine too. There's only one room upstairs though so..."

"I feel like as the only person to tie you, I should get it."

"I had that winning streak for a year and a half, I think the room's mine."

"Or, you can sleep here, and my fragile womanly self can sleep in the bed."

"Your 'fragile womanly self' just downed 12 shots of 80 proof, I think you'll survive on the couch," Dally raised his eyebrows. Georgia pouted. "Oh no, puppy dog eyes may work on Soda, but not on me."

Dally stared at Georgia, praying for her to give it up.

"Fine," she gave in after only a few seconds. She leaned her head back on the couch. "I feel like absolute shit."

"If you didn't, I'd be worried," he shrugged, "You're not gonna puke though right? These are my good jeans."

Georgia punched the boy in the arm lightly, "I might."

"Alright," Dally pushed himself off the couch and reached out for Georgia's hand, "Bathroom's upstairs."

"There's isn't one down here?" Georgia's stomach turned at the thought of walking upstairs.

"Not one that you're allowed to be sick in," Dally motioned for her to grab his hand. Georgia sighed a gave in. She could barely stand straight. "Can you make it?"

"We'll see," Georgia laughed. The two made their way towards the stairs. Dally stayed behind Georgia so that if she fell backward she didn't break Buck's number one rule: dying in the house. 

After several labored steps, they made it to the landing. Georgia stood for a second to get her bearings.

"I think I might be fine," Georgia said. Dally moved to walk in front of her and opened the door to the bedroom.

"Here," Dally nodded at the room, "all yours."

"No, no, it's fine, I-," Dally cut her off.

"You barely made it up the stairs, you're not gonna make it down. Take the room, I'll live."

Georgia stopped. She was surprised at the way he'd suddenly changed. Early this morning, he was shut off and cold, feet kicked up onto a diner table. 20 Minutes ago, he was angry at her for even trying to win. And now, Dallas was almost sweet. Georgia stared at him. He was an enigma.

"Hello, Earth to Georgia," Dallas waved his hand in front of her face," you good?"

It was the first time he'd ever said her name. She felt her cheeks heat up and hoped that they were still red from the drinking so that Dally wouldn't notice. She liked the way her name sounded when he said it, and she hated that she did.

"Thank you," she smiled.

Dallas only nodded, looking confused and concerned as he made his way back downstairs. Georgia didn't take long to hop into bed and fall asleep. There was only one thought in her mind. 

_Who are you, Dallas Winston?_

\----

July 23, 1968

Georgia woke up to the sound of clattering below her. That, and her pounding head. She glanced at the small clock to see it was nine in the morning. She sat up and felt her entire body ache. Just the light that peaked through the window made her head pound.

She stood up slowly, trying not to injure herself. Her jean jacket was folded on top of the dresser in front of her. She pulled it on quickly, followed by the shoes she didn't remember taking off.

When she finally made it to the door, she found Sodapop standing behind it when it opened.

"Soda?" she was confused.

"Darry drove Ponyboy home last night, and I was passed out so he left me. Gotta love big brothers. I was just comin' to make sure you didn't die which I see you haven't," Soda smiled. He didn't appear to be hungover at all.

The two made their way downstairs to find Buck, and shockingly Dally, cleaning up the mess from the night before.

"Hey, the champ lives!" Buck smiled, "How ya feelin'?"

"Physically bad but mentally good," she smirked at Dally. He did not appear amused. Georgia and Soda joined in the cleaning and helped Buck finish in no time.

"Well kid, you're on the wall now so you're welcome whenever," Buck laughed, "Oh, and, here's your keys." He placed Georgia's keys in her outstretched hand.

"Thanks for holding on to those," Georgia shoved them in her pocket, "I'll be back soon. Bye Dally."

He looked up from whatever he was wiping down and nodded. The smiley drunk guy from last night was gone.

Sodapop followed Georgia outside, "Any way you'd give me a ride?"

"Get in," she grinned. Sodapop nearly jumped. He looked in awe when he sat down in the seat.

"I'm serious when I tell you this is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen," Soda looked around the car.

"Thank you," Georgia started the car, "now where to."

Sodapop opted to take Georgia on the longer route to the house. He pointed things out to her, telling her about each thing.

"I know none of us have asked, but you're not from Oklahoma, right? Sorry if that's, like, personal, I just noticed you talk differently," Soda asked as they turned onto his street.

"No, I'm from Chicago," Georgia replied, "I needed a change of pace."

Soda picked up on the twinge in her voice. There was also a touch of withdrawal, so he didn't ask anything else.

"Well, this is me," Soda said as Georgia slowed in front of the house. He began to get out but stopped himself. "I know we haven't known each other long at all, but just be wary about Dally, okay? Trust me, I love him to death, I do, and he's a great friend and guy, but he's different than the rest of us. I dunno how to explain it but, I dunno, I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I appreciate that Soda, thanks," Georgia smiled weakly.

"Also, if you ever wanna stop by, feel free. Our house is like, the spot. I'm sure the rest of the gang would like to see you again, too. Especially because you were already passed out when they sobered up," Soda snickered.

"You really are an ass," Georgia hit him lightly, "Maybe I'll see you later."

"Maybe."

Soda walked up to the house as Georgia sped away.

 _Be wary of Dally,_ she thought _, I'm way ahead of you, Soda._


	4. Texas Hold 'Em

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia and Dally make a promise.

** Texas Hold 'Em **   
July 28, 1968

Since the party, Georgia hadn't seen any of the boys except Soda. She'd worked every night since, and one double shift. Soda had stopped in one morning for some pancakes to go. He'd lost a bet to Steve and owed him breakfast. Soda had also asked when Georgia's birthday was.

"Remember how you said you're almost 21?" Georgia nodded as she brought Soda's pancakes over, "Yeah so when's your actual birthday?"

"August twelfth," she smiled, pushing the to-go box across the counter.

"Ooh, you're a leo. Very interesting. Mine's October eighth, so I'm a libra," Sodapop seemed very proud of this. Georgia stood there dumbfounded.

"You're into horoscopes?" she laughed.

"Oh yeah, I think they're cool. Anyway, I just wanted to know your birthday so we can celebrate. You came to Pony's so it's only fair," Soda handed Georgia the money he owed.

"No, no parties. I don't want to make you do that. Besides you're really the only one of the gang I ever see, I feel like it would be rude. Plus, I'm not sure I'd consider what I did at Buck's 'celebrating Pony's birthday'," Georgia handed Soda his change.

"Well, then I guess you'll just have to come over tonight and hang with us," Soda reasoned.

Georgia sighed, "I get off at five. Now go bring Steve his cakes before they get cold."

Sodapop beamed as he left. Georgia continued with her day. She was grateful that someone as kind as Soda had chosen to be her friend, but she couldn't help but feel like she was intruding. The gang had such a strong bond between them from what she could see. She didn't want to waltz in and destroy that. On the other hand, she felt bad saying no to Soda, since he'd been nothing but nice the entire time they'd known each other. He was Georgia's first and only real friend in a long time, and she didn't want to lose that.

At three in the afternoon, a maintenance man came over to fix the AC unit. It took almost no time.

"Wire got loose," he said, "here's the bill." He left quickly.

Georgia stuck the bill in a pile of other things the manager had yet to look at. Not long after, cool air finally filled the diner.

The last two hours dragged. It wasn't busy, and Georgia has been there since 5:30 in the morning after agreeing to switch shifts with another girl. She was sick of standing, and she was sick of bad tips, but there was nothing she could do.

When one of the other waitresses showed up Georgia breathed a sigh of relief. She clocked out and then grabbed herself the largest cup she could find. She filled it with coffee to the top and then turned to leave.

"Hey, G," Lonnie called out from the kitchen, "you going to see those boys?"

Georgia nodded unsurely. She walked back over to the kitchen window. Lonnie stopped what he was doing and lifted a box onto the serving window.

"Accidentally made too much pie," he winked.

"Thank you, Lonnie," Georgia grabbed the box and waved goodbye to her coworkers. She made her way to her car and quickly went home.

Once there she peeled herself out of her uniform and changed as fast as possible. She didn't even bother looking in the mirror.

Not long after, she arrived at the Curtis'. She could hear laughing inside. She sat in her car for a few minutes, debating if she should wait longer or just go in.

_Stop overthinking things, what is wrong with you?_

She glanced at herself in the rearview mirror, took a deep breath, and headed towards the house.

_This time I should knock, right? Do I knock? Is knocking what the others do?_

She knocked. Darry quickly appeared in front of the door, squinting at the girl.

"What's up Darry?" she heard Ponyboy ask from inside. Darry looked a second more before realization washed over him.

"Oh, Georgia. Wow, you look really different with your hair down, I'm sorry," Darry laughed and opened the screen door.

"No worries. You've only ever seen me in a poorly lit diner," she laughed as she walked in. The boys sat around in various spots. Most of them appeared to be at the table. "Lonnie made pie for you all."

Two-Bit nearly hopped over the couch at the sight. He grabbed the box and brought it to the kitchen.

"Make yourself at home," Darry smiled and shut the door behind her.

"You're late again," Soda teased as he walked by.

"I had to change," Georgia followed him to the group of boys. They were deeply invested in a game of poker.

"Yeah, I can tell. You look like one of 'em catalog girls," Soda joked, "Very mod."

"Please shut up," she laughed. The two took a seat to observe the game. Johnny, Pony, Dally, and Steve were all crowded around a deck. Johnny was dealing, and from the looks of it, he was winning too.

"Alright boys, final card," Johny burned a card and then flipped a Jack, "I'm gonna call."

Each of the three remaining boys matched the bet. All their eyes were on Johnny.

Dally showed his hand first, "Two Jacks."

Ponyboy went next, "I don't have shit I just wanted to make Dally think I did," he had a three and a four.

"I swear once you're 18, you're getting your ass kicked," Dally nearly launched himself at Ponyboy. The two wrestled for a second until Steve spoke up.

"Three of a kind, Kings," Dally and Ponyboy looked up. Johnny was still smirking. The flopped cards were King, Jack, Ace, five, and eight.

"Sorry boys," Johnny laid down his cards, "royal flush." The three erupted.

"How the fuck do you always do that? You countin' cards Johnnycakes?" Dally demanded. Steve put his head in his hands. All Ponyboy could do was repeat "How?".

"It's God repayin' me for almost killin' me off," his smirk grew larger to the point where he couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"Johnny you," Dally sneered. Johnny was hysterical. Steve was completely despondent.

Soda laughed along with Johnny. Georgia sat in awe. The pile of chips in front of Johnny was enormous.

"Hello Georgia," Johnny smiled, "wanna play?"

"He can't be beat, it's not worth it," Ponyboy sighed. He looked up at the older girl, false sadness in his eyes.

"I'm garbage at poker, but why not," Georgia shrugged, "How much?"

"50 cents for forty chips," Johnny answered. Georgia slid two quarters across the table to Johnny, who in turn gave her chips. "Ok, the pot is now at 3.50. Anyone wanna deal?"

"Gimme those," Ponyboy grabbed the cards. He shuffled them numerous times. "You're going down Johnny Cade."

Ponyboy dealt the hands. Georgia peeked at hers: ten, King. she knew this was decent however, she barely knew where to go from here. She was terrible at calling bluffs when it came to cards, and she was especially bad at strategic betting.

Johnny won again, this time with four of a kind. Dally almost had him beat. The group played four more rounds before Georgia was completely out of chips. Johnny had won them all. Dally was red in the face. Ponyboy was in shock. Steve, once again, put his head in his hands.

"I need a cigarette," Dally sighed, "does anyone have a cancer stick I can bum?"

When no one spoke up, Georgia looked at Dally, "I have some in my car, if you don't mind menthols."

"Menthols will do," Dally got up and followed Georgia to the door. On the way out to the car, Georgia turned to face Dally.

"I could've brought them back in for you," Georgia raised her eyebrows.

"No smoking in the Curtis house. Besides, Soda won't shut up about your car, I wanted to see it," Dally said nonchalantly. Georgia nodded and turned. They walked a bit down the block to her car, where to Georgia's surprise, Dally gasped. "I understand it now. It's really nice."

"Thanks," Georgia mumbled as she unlocked the door. She reached in and grabbed the pack from the center compartment, along with a lighter.

"Thank you, Miss," Dally nodded. He leaned against the side of the car as grabbed a cigarette out of the pack with his teeth. Georgia reached over and grabbed one as well. They light their cancer sticks in sync with their respective lighters. Neither of them spoke for a minute.

"So Chicago, huh? Never been," Dally tried to make small talk.

"Oh, so you can make conversation when you're sober?" Georgia bit the inside of her cheek, "and here I thought you didn't like me."

"You try wakin' up and rememberin' some chick just ruined your drinking record," Dally took a drag, "It's heartbreaking."

"Oh, please. I didn't ruin it, I merely joined the ranks."

Dally shook his head, "Yeah, whatever. Why Tulsa, though? I'm curious."

"I don't know really," Georgia admitted, "It's quieter. I like that it's warm, most of the time. Chicago, I, uh, I don't plan on going back. I needed a change."

Dally looked at her inquisitively, "You leave something there you don't wanna see again?" His voice was deep and interested.

Georgia's breath hitched in her throat, "Sure, I, yeah. Kinda." She took a long drag.

"Sorry, that was a bit...," Dally tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, "I get it though. I did some shit that I left behind in New York. Shit happens."

"Yeah, shit happens," Georgia tossed hers as well, "Should we go back in?"

"Actually, I was gonna ask you to let me drive this thing," Dally put his tongue between his teeth.

"You boys and my car, God. I already told Soda I'd let him first," Georgia argued.

"Then we don't tell Soda," Dally countered.

Georgia bit her lip, "One condition."

"Yes?"

"We can be friends, really good ones. But you gotta promise me something," Georgia was uneasy.

"Okay?"

"Promise you won't fall in love with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i get this promise idea from a walk to remember? maybe so  
> also ik this is slow rn I'm updating it as I finish editing on wattpad so i apologize for the lack of interesting-ness. also if there's typos i apologize i write most of this at night sooo  
> thank you all for reading this far!!  
> the wattpad version has a playlist and pictures with every chapter, same username on there :))


	5. Murder Motel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia and Dally wind up stranded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this one is really short, i'm sorry i'll be uploading a lot in a bit so bear with me

** Murder Motel **   
July 28, 1968

"Huh?" Dallas's face contorted.

"I'm serious. No falling in love will be taking place," Georgia looked at him dead in the eyes.

"Who said I'm gonna fall in love with you anyway? Or you with me? You realize how stupid you sound?" Dallas was in disbelief.

"Do you want to drive or no?" Georgia crossed her arms.

"Fine, God, I promise," Dallas stuck his hand out, "keys, please."

The boy took no time getting in the car and starting it.

"Soda is gonna be so mad at me," Georgia groaned.

"Our little secret. If anyone asks you drove me and I told you where to go," Dallas suggested.

"I mean okay, but if he does...," Georgia argued.

"He won't. Relax" Dallas assured her. He took off down the street. Dally drove for a while, pointing things out the way Soda had. His stories were a bit darker than Soda's, however.

They drove around aimlessly as if waiting for something to happen. Every so often, Dally would ask Georgia if there was anything she wanted to see. She'd reply with "No." simply because she had no idea what there was to see in the first place.

They had made it to the highway. Georgia had put the top down on the car a few days earlier, so at this speed, her hair was flying in the wind.

"What, you don't have one of those Audrey Hepburn type hair scarves?" Dallas laughed as he looked over. Georgia struggled with trying to tuck her hair behind her ears.

"Do I look like Audrey Hepburn to you?" Georgia deadpanned.

"No, she's much hotter," Dally joked. Georgia's mouth dropped open. She reached over and punched him in the arm.

"You and Soda are both such asses," she sighed.

"It's a gang thing," he taunted, "You hungry at all?"

"Yeah, but I gotta save my cash for bills. Landlords don't like to wait."

"You let me drive before your very best friend, so I will get you food," Dally placed his hand over his heart in a teasing manner.

"Dally, I couldn't..."

"Consider it as a, uh, congratulations, for kicking my ass at the only thing I'm good at," Dally smiled. This one was without sarcasm, he genuinely meant it.

"If you insist," Georgia conceded.

"Alright," Dallas looked around the highway quickly, "You see any cops?"

"No?" Georgia suddenly grew concerned, "Why?"

"Well, if we're going to get from Fayetteville and back in time for you to sleep and go to work tomorrow, I have to speed up," Dally pressed harder on the accelerator. The wind was louder in the car now.

"Arkansas?! Dallas Winston, you are not taking me to Arkansas!"

"Shouldn't have let me drive then," he stuck out his tongue as the pair flew down the highway.

\----

"I cannot believe you didn't check if I had gas," Georgia slammed the car door, "Where the hell are we, Dally?"

"I believe we are, as the sign said, in the quaintest little town in Arkansas," Dallas tried to lighten the mood. He could tell by Georgia's expression she was not happy.

All she could do was sigh. The sun had almost completely set, and the pair was stuck on a side road in the middle of nowhere. The heat was terrible and it made their clothes stick to them. Bugs swarmed around the car. There were no birds and no people in sight.

The closest building to them was a scary looking motel. The neon sign outside was blinking furiously. There was one car in the lot, likely belonging to the owner. None of the lights were on inside though, which lead them to believe it may be abandoned.

"We need to find a payphone. I gotta call work and come up with something less ridiculous than this," Georgia walked around the car to find Dallas pensively smoking one of her cigarettes.

"Let's hope the murder motel has one," Dally agreed. He pushed himself off the side of the car and followed Georgia towards the motel. They didn't speak as they did. Georgia was too busy being angry; Dally was too busy trying to think of a way to fix the situation.

When they got to the lot, they found a payphone on the wall near the entrance. As they neared, Georgia fished a nickel out of her pocket. She inserted it into the slot and dialed her work.

The phone rang and rang until finally, someone answered.

"Paulette's."

"Lonnie? Hey, it's, uh, Georgia, um, I," Georgia glanced at Dally who was watching her intently. She covered the phone and mouthed 'What do I say?' at the boy. He made a motion that appeared to say, 'You're sick'.

"Hello? Georgia?" came from the other end of the line.

"Hi, sorry, I'm really sick today. After my shift earlier it just came on" she faked a cough only to realize how unrealistic it sounded, "I won't be in tomorrow. Is, uh, Louise of Jenny there?"

"Louise is busy, but I can let her know for you. You sure you can't make it?"

"Yeah, I feel like I'm," Dally was laughing hysterically, "dying, really. I'm sorry. I swear I'll be good by Tuesday." After Lonnie gave her an apprehensive okay, Georgia practically broke the phone trying to hang it up.

"You are really no help at all you know that. Killing my car, laughing at me when I'm calling work," Georgia paced.

"Hey, hey relax. It's all good."

"No, Dallas, it is not 'all good'. My sort of boss definitely knew I just lied to him. I'm gonna get fired-,"

"Georgia, calm down."

"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down when we are in the middle of nowhere, with no money, no gas, and no way to get home? Not to mention, we are standing next to a building you so graciously named the 'Murder Motel'. How am I supposed to calm down?" Georgia's breathing sped up. She was panicking. Despite the fact she knew everything was probably fine, she couldn't help but worry. Dally could see it happening.

"Georgia," he muttered. She continued to pace. Her eyes were starting to get teary. "Georgia!"

She finally snapped out of it. She looked up at the boy. He looked worried.

"Everything's gonna be okay. Okay? I'm gonna call Darry."

Georgia sat down against the wall. She wiped away the beading tears in her eyes.

 _What is your problem,_ she thought _, why do you always freak out? Get yourself together, Georgia._

Within a few minutes, she managed to slow her breathing and heart rate back down. She hadn't heard a word of Dally's conversation, so when he sat next to her, she didn't know what to say.

"Good news and bad news," Dallas said plainly, "Good news, Two-Bit's gonna come to get us as well as bring gas for the car. He said he'll be here as soon as he can. Bad news, Soda is pissed you let me drive."

Georgia gave Dally a weak smile, "I thought we agreed not to tell him."

"He'll get over it," Dally reassured the girl, "Now as for us, it looks like we have two options, those being wait in your car or break into the motel."

"I really am not in the mood to commit a crime right now," Georgia simpered. Dally shook his head in agreement.

"Car it is," Dally stood up and held his hand out to pull Georgia up. Once on her feet, Dally turned toward the car. Georgia followed behind him, wanting to get away from the ominous building as fast as possible.

Back at the car, Dallas unlocked the doors. Georgia had completely forgotten that Dally had her keys. They both climbed inside without saying a word.

"Listen, I'm sorry I freaked out on you. It's a really bad habit of mine. Overthinking that is," Georgia glanced at Dally who didn't seem the least bit upset.

"I'm sorry I got us stuck next to a creepy motel in Arkansas," Dally looked at her with a growing grin. It wasn't long before the pair was in a fit of laughter. They dissolved into their elation, their laughs being the only sound in the sea of silence.


	6. Maple Syrup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dally tells Georgia about his bucket list.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck it double upload

** Maple Syrup **   
July 29, 1968

Dally and Georgia had fallen asleep at some point during the night. Neither stirred until Two-Bit tapped on the window, waking them both up. Dazed and confused, Dallas cranked down the window to face a very amused Two-Bit.

"You two look terrible," he grinned.

"You try sleepin' in a car in the middle of nowhere," Dally grumbled. Georgia rubbed her eyes furiously. She'd slept with her contacts in which made her eyes extremely dry. Luckily, she'd remembered to put the top up, so they weren't covered in dirt.

"Well, I brought plenty of gas, so you can fill up and follow me back," Two-Bit slapped the top of the car and headed to the back to find the gas cap. In no time the car was filled and they were ready to go. Georgia got out and walked to the driver's side doors.

"Keys," Georgia outstretched her hand toward Dallas. With much disdain, he handed over the keys, slid into the passenger's seat, and they were off. Two-Bit drove fast, so in turn, Georgia did too. It wasn't like she didn't enjoy it, but she didn't want to get pulled over.

"So..." Dally began, "How'd you sleep?"

Georgia tried her hardest to fake an angry face but couldn't. "Terribly," she smiled, "roadside 'Murder Motels' don't make great sleeping areas."

"Look, I really am sorry. Plus, I still owe you food. When we get back I'll take you," Dally was sincere. He truly confused her. She knew something in him was kind, but she could tell there was something in him that was shut off. It was like everything was a front.

"I'm not mad, don't worry. Despite being a disaster, I had fun. First time I've done something spontaneous in a while."

The two settled into a comfortable silence for the rest of the drive. The radio played softly in the background. The only interaction they had was when Dally had asked Georgia if he could bum another cigarette, to which she replied, "If you ash it in here I'll hurt you."

When the Tulsa city sign came into view, Two-Bit pulled off one way, and Dallas tried to Georgia toward a restaurant.

"I'm gonna run to my apartment quickly and fix my contacts. My eyes are burning," Georgia rubbed them again. How she'd managed to drive was beyond her, but she didn't dwell on it.

They pulled into the building lot and Georgia climbed out of the car. Dally, unaware, stared ahead through the windshield.

"You can come in," she laughed softly.

As Dally got out, he looked at the car, seemingly for no reason.

"I just noticed you've got Oklahoma plates," Dally looked perplexed.

Georgia felt cold sweat bead at her forehead. She'd never thought about what she'd say in this situation, so she quickly thought up a lie.

"Had them changed right when I got here, laws and all, you know," she shrugged. Dally nodded but she could tell he wasn't buying it.

_As long as they don't ask questions, you're fine._

_\----_

They didn't take long at Georgia's. Dally had driven them to a diner, one that was much nicer than Paulette's. The man behind the counter seemed to recognize Dally when they'd walked in. They silently settled into a booth. Neither had said much since Dally pointed out Georgia's license plates nor was either of them going to bring it up.

Thankfully, the discomfort didn't last long because the man from behind the counter had walked over with menus.

"Good to see you, Winston, how you been?" he was a large, buff guy with a sweet smile. Not the kind of person she imagined Dally around. Though, in all honesty, she didn't know much about the boy in front of her.

"Not bad Stick, I'm showin' this one the best place for french toast," he gave a quick nod to Georgia, who smiled up at the man.

"You not from here are you?" Stick laughed, "otherwise I woulda remembered you."

"Chicago, actually," Georgia answered.

"Interesting place to come to after bein' in Chicago," he drew out the 'o' at the end. The conversation ended after Dally had ordered Georgia and himself a large plate of french toast. They were again left to deal with the uncomfortable tension between them.

"Ok, Dally, I can tell you wanna ask me something so go ahead," Georgia was uneasy. If it was something she couldn't answer she didn't know what she'd do.

"Is the car actually yours?" Dally's eyes were sharp on her. She could tell that if she was going to cause him any trouble, he'd drop her rights there.

"Yes, the car is _actually_ mine. So are the plates. I really did change them right when I got here," Georgia felt herself relax.

"Pinky swear," Dally was completely serious. His elbow rested on the table and his right pinky was outstretched.

"Are you serious," she could tell by the look on his face he was, "alright."

After they'd interlocked pinkies, the tension seemed to melt away. The same peace from the drive home had settled over them.

"Now, Georgia, tell me about you," Dally smiled. She couldn't tell if it was fake or not.

"Are you asking because you still think I'm a liar or because you're actually interested?" Georgia narrowed her eyes.

"Because I'm interested. I'm not a total dick yanno."

"What do you want to know?" Georgia had a feeling this was coming sooner or later. An awkward conversation about her likes and dislikes was not what she was in the mood for. Her and Soda had surpassed the need for this. Between them, there was an instant friendship that didn't require sit-downs such as this one.

"Well, I know you're almost 21, Soda told us. And I know you're from Chicago. That's it. So, uh, what do you, like, enjoy? Or wanna do, I guess" This was the last thing she expected from him. She had braced for an interrogation, but it seemed he was actually trying to get to know her. Dallas was just as complex as the day she first met him.

"Well, my dream job is to be a beautician. My mom was one. I remember when I was younger she'd look perfect just to drop me off at school. She'd always have her hair done up and have bright red lipstick on, and I always remember wanting to be exactly like her," Georgia sighed at the memory. It was distant, like a fairytale. "How about you?"

"I don't know really. I never did fun shit as a kid. Or had ambition really. I've got a list of stuff I wanna do actually," Dally admitted.

"Like what?"

"If you laugh, I'm never talkin' to you again," Dally deadpanned.

"Scouts honor," Georgia held up three fingers. She couldn't imagine anything truly embarrassing.

"Well for one, I don't know how to ride a bike," Dally shrugged and leaned back in his seat. Georgia's eyes widened as she pressed her mouth into a thin line.

"You can't be serious?" Georgia asked, "You've never tried?"

"Nah, once I hit 14 I figured it was too late. Besides, what would a 20-year-old look like on a kiddie bike?"

"I think it'd be hilarious. I'd be willing to teach you though, if you want," Georgia saw him perk up at this. She had a hard time believing any of the gang knew about this, so they were all out of the question.

"Would you really?" he had an unsure grin on his face. Georgia knew then that Dally was damaged. His childhood was stripped away. He was trying to make up for everything he'd missed. At least, that's how it seemed.

"Yeah, you find me a bike and I'll teach you," Georgia nodded. Stick had now shown up with the food.

"After this, you're never gonna wanna eat anywhere else," he winked. Georgia figured that to be true. The most delicious looking plate of french toast now laid before her. It was smothered in fruit and maple syrup, and it smelled like heaven.

"Ok now we're even," Georgia mumbled through a large bite. Dally laughed to himself.

After finishing their late breakfast, Georgia drove Dally over to the Curtis', where a very angry Soda was waiting on the porch.

"I've never felt so betrayed," he said. He actually looked upset, and Georgia felt terrible.

"I promise I'll make it up to you okay?" she smiled. He nodded solemnly before sauntering back into the house.

Dally sat in the car a moment, thinking about whether to get out. Before pushing the door open, he looked at Georgia. Not how he normally did, as if through a pane of glass, but really looked at her.

"About what you said earlier, havin' fun and all, I did too. I don't really get the chance to talk to anyone but those losers, so it was nice," Georgia looked back at him. Their eyes were looking into each others'. This was the first time she'd really seen them, and she noticed they were a beautiful brown, almost like honey. For a moment she felt something grow inside her until it burst. All of a sudden they weren't Dally's eyes anymore. They were angry, evil. They looked into her and saw all of her weaknesses and picked her apart. A panic attack was creeping its way into her system.

_I need to get out of here._

Georgia only nodded.

"If you tell them about the bike though, I'm never seein' you again," he lightly laughed. Georgia could manage only a polite smile.

_Drive._

"I'll see ya," Dally smiled and then left. He was barely up the steps before Georgia took off. She could see confusion all over his features, but she didn't care. She needed to get home.

She managed to make it into her apartment before the tears came pouring down. She slid back against the door and fell to the floor. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop crying. Nowhere was safe for her, especially when everything was just a portal back to where she'd escaped.

She went almost two weeks without seeing the boys again.


	7. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia shows Dally how to ride a bike.

** Nightmares **   
August 10, 1968

Work had been hard for the past two weeks. She had nothing to look forward to in her attempt to avoid the gang. The AC had broken again. Louise had finally quit, though it had been coming for a while. Georgia was slammed with shifts. While it helped keep her mind occupied, there was always something screaming at her deep down. Not only that, but her birthday was in two days, and she'd likely have no one to spend it with.

At 6:30 in the morning, there was nothing to be heard except the slow drip of the coffee pot. Georgia had been in for almost 9 hours, and still had two to go. Louise's absence had brought the mood down as well as made the only three waitresses work abnormally long shifts. The only perk of this was that, if by some chance, she ran into the gang, she'd have a valid excuse for being gone.

Lonnie had noticed that Georgia had been off, and had tried to talk to her about it, but unfortunately, she was unable to find the words. She'd said she fought with a friend which seemed to convince him. However, she knew if this continued, lying was going to be much harder.

At 8:15, a tan brunette boy came wandering in, looking for Georgia. She'd been in the back getting more napkins, but she could tell by the voice it was Soda. She slowly walked towards him, setting the napkins down on the counter. His face didn't show his normal happy demeanor. He looked concerned, and even more upset than he had been on the porch the other day.

"Lost another bet to Steve?" Georgia asked half-heartedly, though she already knew the answer.

"No," he scratched his head, he looked uncomfortable, "I'm checkin' in on you. You disappeared.'

"Yeah, I, uh..." she trailed off, "I've been super busy here. Louise quit so I had to pick up shifts."

This didn't appear to satisfy him. She doubted that Dally had expressed his confusion at her departure two weeks earlier, but she had been incognito for a while.

"Is that actually true?" Soda asked. His face was blank. Georgia glanced up at the clock.

"I get off in ten, can we talk then?" she sighed. She had ten minutes to figure out what to say. The same cold sweat started down her back.

_Just relax._

Soda nodded curtly.

Georgia reached in her apron and grabbed her keys. She slid them over the counter and Soda looked up, "Wait in the car."

The ten minutes passed faster than she expected. At 8:30, she untied her apron, took the tips from the pocket, hung it on a hook, and headed out to her car. She found Soda in the driver's seat as she expected. She slipped in the passenger door and sat quietly. Neither spoke for a while.

"What's goin' on Georgia? You hang out with Dal and then disappear? Did he do somethin', or try somethin' because if he did, I'll kill him."

"No, oh my god, no, it's not that," Georgia shook her hands frantically. Is that what they all thought? That Dally had done something? Had she made him look bad in front of all of his friends?

"Then what happened? I wanna help," Soda turned in his seat to face her. Georgia could already feel fear creeping up inside her. She bit down on her tongue to stop tears from welling in her eyes.

_Not now, calm down._

"It's... complicated," was all she could manage. Soda started the car and took them away from Paulette's.

"Try me."

Georgia sat with the idea for a moment. She didn't know what to say or where to start. She thought of Soda as her best friend, despite knowing him for less than a month. She knew deep down she could trust him. But if anyone knew, what would happen?

"This is going to sound really dumb, okay, so just, keep that in mind," Georgia picked at her cuticles. "The other day, when I dropped him off, when I looked in his eyes, and I don't know, they, uh, reminded me of someone."

"Boyfriend?" Soda didn't take his eyes from the road.

"Used to be," Georgia whispered, "listen it's, it's dumb but, I get really, scared over nothing. It just happens all of a sudden. And I freaked out when I looked at him. So, I've been avoiding you guys. I'm sorry I made you all think he did something, but I couldn't see him."

"That's not dumb. Don't tell him I told you, but Pony used to get these awful nightmares. So bad I'd have to sleep in the bed with him. I know shit happens to us, but we can't let it hold us back," Soda took a deep breath.

"I wish it was that simple," Georgia realized her finger was bleeding from how much she picked it, "he was like a nightmare. Except I couldn't wake up."

"You can talk about it when you're ready. For now, let's get you home. Then you can come over. You don't have to be alone, yanno. I know we haven't known each other long, but you're part of the gang now, whether you like it or not," Soda nudged her with his elbow. She let out a small chuckle. At the moment she least expected it, Tulsa had become home.

\----

When they'd arrived at the Curtis house, only Johnny and Pony were there. Georgia was relieved, to say the least. She didn't want to know what the awkward tension between her and Dally would do to the group.

Johnny was more than happy to see Georgia. He enthusiastically invited her over to the table where he and Ponyboy were having a conversation.

"Long time, no see. We thought you left us for Chicago," Johnny smirked.

"I don't plan on going back there don't worry. I've been super busy at work, one of the girls quit so we all have to work extra," Georgia explained. Johnny seemed okay with this response, so Georgia said nothing more.

"Pony, Soda, and I have been plannin' your party," Johnny wiggled his eyebrows.

"Absolutely not. I told you no parties," she turned to look at Soda who was leaned up against the wall. He wore a sly smile on his handsome features.

"And I never agreed," he slid into the seat next to her, "so, what's your favorite flavor of cake?"

"I refuse to tell you," Georgia crossed her arms. She couldn't believe after leaving them all in the dust without a word, they still wanted to celebrate her birthday.

"It's chocolate ain't it," Soda had a knowing grin.

"Ass," she mumbled. Soda let out a heroic cheer just as the front door creaked open. Two-Bit and Dally walked in, followed by a long silence. Georgia and Dally looked only at each other, unspoken questions lingered in the air.

"I'm gonna go to the kitchen now," Johnny hopped out of his seat. The other three followed, talking quietly amongst themselves.

Dally planted himself firmly on the couch. He had closed himself off again. The cold aura that had surrounded him at the diner those weeks ago. He didn't look over at Georgia once he sat; Dally stared at the black television screen in front of him.

"I'm so-," Georgia started.

"Did I do somethin'? Because, I don't wanna be around people that have problems with me," Dally spat. Georgia felt her heart hurt. This was all her doing. She got up slowly, making her way to the couch. She sat gingerly, not wanting to upset the boy anymore.

"No," she croaked, "no you didn't. It was me. And to be fair I haven't had a single day off in almost two weeks."

"Then why? You had me thinking I was some piece of shit or somethin'," Dally was hurt. She knew this, but she couldn't tell how to fix it.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it then," Dally finally looked at her. He didn't look angry. If anything, he looked sad, truly sad.

"I can't," Georgia averted her gaze. She felt like he was about to yell. She braced herself for the onslaught of words, but none came. Dally only sighed. "How about, I make it up to you. Wanna get started on that list of yours?"

\----

It didn't take long for them to find a bike. Plenty of kiddie bikes were laid out in yards and against fences. As much as Georgia protested theft, Dally assured her no one would miss the rusty, beat-up two-wheeler they took. They walked for a bit to find a house free stretch of road. Dally had refused to allow anyone but her see him ride a bike.

"Okay, first things first, you know how bike's work, right?" Georgia questioned. She knew it was a stupid one, but she didn't want Dally busting his face open on the concrete.

"Are you fuckin' with me?" he narrowed his eyes.

"Just checking," Georgia mounted the bike and faced Dally, "so the key is balance. Normally you start with training wheels, but this will have to do. The easiest way to do it is not to lean off to one side. It's harder than it looks, especially since you're 20."

Georgia kicked off the ground and started down the street. Dally only stood twiddling his thumbs. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself.

Georgia demonstrated how to stop and then got off the bike, "I'm not sure there's much else to say. Go slow."

Dally looked apprehensively at the bike and eventually got on. Both of his feet were planted firmly on the ground. He appeared to have no idea what to do next.

"Okay, put one foot on one pedal, and then push forward. Then you just have to put your other foot on and keep pedaling. Once you get the hang of it you'll be just fine."

He pushed forward slowly and made it about four feet before teetering sideways and falling off. His left side was covered in dust. He looked pissed.

"You're not going to get it right away, just try again."

And so he did. Over and over again he fell off. But to both of their surprise, he continued. He seemed more than determined to learn. It didn't take long before he was able to make it down the street and back without falling. However, stopping was a whole other ball game. For some reason, Dally couldn't figure out how to use the handle breaks. Every time he stopped, he lurched forward. Georgia had attempted to give him pointers, but he was adamant about doing it himself. That was until a very angry man came charging down the street.

"Hey, that's my kid's bike. Fuck you think you're doin'?" he was furiously sprinting at the two. Georgia was frozen in place. In the blink of an eye, Dally had hopped off the bike and started running. He grabbed Georgia's hand and took off. She had no idea where they were going, so had to blindly follow Dally as they ran through the streets. The man hadn't stopped either. He was screaming and chasing them no matter which way they turned. Georgia was nearly out of breath when Dally dragged her into a bush.

"What are you-." Dally clapped a hand over Georgia's mouth before she could say another word. He put a finger to his lips as the man clambered past the bushes. After a minute or so of waiting, Dally peeked out of the bush to see if the coast was clear. He then motioned for Georgia to come out. They had managed to run almost all the way back to the Curtis'. A few blocks walk brought them up on the porch, where they could hear another round of Johnny beating everyone in poker. Georgia turned to go inside but Dallas stopped her.

"You've got leaves in your hair," he laughed. He picked them out carefully and let them fall to the wood beneath them.

"All better?" Georgia raised her eyebrows.

"Perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the couple days breaks the election has been uhhhhhh something


	8. Birthday Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia's birthday!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI HI im so sorry for how long this took i just moved out and ive been sososo busy i promise more frequent updates are coming, thank you all!!

** Birthday Cake **

August 12, 1968

She knew there was no way to avoid it. Soda was going to throw her a party whether she liked it or not. She had tried every possible way of arguing with him but nothing seemed to get through. Lonnie had given Georgia two days off since Paulette's had finally been able to hire another waitress. This meant that Georgia spent the entire day before her birthday sleeping. So, she couldn't possibly use the excuse of being tired to get out of a party. It was inevitable.

She had yet to do anything other than taking a shower. It was three in the afternoon and she was bored out of her mind. She didn't know if she should just show up at the Curtis' and act surprised, or wait for someone to get her. It was all too much thinking for her.

She had eaten what little food remained in her fridge and watched reruns on her tv. She hadn't even changed out of her robe. She knew there would be a party, and she knew she'd have to go, but she didn't plan on getting ready until then. She flopped backward on her bed and stared at the ceiling. The unknown was killing her.

By 6:30, Georgia was actually starting to wonder if she'd been wrong all along. She finally changed into another plain outfit and was now standing in front of her small bathroom mirror. The counter she leaned on was bare except for a single tube of lipstick. It was the exact one her mother used to wear. She'd bought herself one upon moving to Tulsa. It was one memory of Chicago she wanted to keep with her. When she ever racked up the nerve to put it on though, it filled her with sadness. The last remaining memory of her mother was a tube of Chanel lipstick that she couldn't even open.

Tonight was different. Something had changed. When she popped off the cap, the overwhelming despair that normally enveloped her didn't come. In fact, the feeling of seeing the unused rouge was almost bittersweet. With a sigh, Georgia brought the color to her lips and applied it gently. It had cost her quite a bit of her money, and breaking it on her first use was not her intention. After carefully rubbing her lips together, she looked at her face. She took it in completely, and for the first time, she realized she looked just like her mom. A single tear trailed down her cheek which she quickly wiped away.

_I miss you, Momma._

At 7:00, Georgia gave in and decided to drive to the Curtis'. She had given up on waiting and thought maybe this was Soda's plan all along. He knew dragging her away wouldn't have the same effect as luring her into a trap, and he was right. He was too smart for his own good.

The drive over was peaceful. The air was warm, but not stifling. None of her hair had gotten stuck on her lips. Georgia felt fearless.

The Curtis house was lit up inside as usual, but there was nothing suspicious about it. Georgia thought maybe she had it all wrong. She figured she'd give it a try, and if it was all for naught, she'd go back home and wait. On her approach, Georgia was almost excited. That was until she got inside and saw no one but Two-Bit laid on the couch.

"Two-Bit?" Georgia asked quietly. He jumped in fright and nearly fell off the couch.

"Shit! Hi! Sorry, I was supposed to come to get you like, thirty minutes ago, but no one told me where you live," he turned to face her, "wow."

Two-Bit looked her up and down as if trying to figure out what was different. She knew it was the lipstick. Georgia began reconsidering if it had been a good idea.

"Good color on you," he smiled. "Now, we really should get goin' or Soda's gonna have my head."

The pair wasted no time getting to none other than Buck's. Georgia had a feeling this would be the venue. Whatever Soda had in store though, she had no idea.

"I know you're thinkin', again? ugh, but, it's a lot better than Pony's party, promise," Two-Bit assured her. Georgia didn't care what kind of party it was. The fact that the gang had been so kind as to even throw her a party in the first place meant the world to her. She truly felt at home.

Like the last time she'd been there, the music could be heard from outside. The light that streamed from under the door was bright green. She could hear everyone having fun. A wave of happiness passed over her at the thought.

Two-Bit pushed open the door and ushered Georgia in.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present Georgia," everyone yelled happy birthday and Georgia covered her face with her hands. She was so taken by everything that she didn't realize the gan walking over. She could feel all of their eyes on her. One pair specifically, being Dally's. He lingered just behind Johnny. He kept his eyes trained on Georgia. She tried to act oblivious, but she could tell he knew she'd noticed.

"How, are you late to your own party?" Soda shakes his head. He wasn't nearly as blushy as last time, but she could tell everyone had had something to drink.

"No one told Two-Bit where I live. I had to drive myself to my driver," Georgia put her hands on her hips. Buck's wasn't as full as last time which she appreciated. The extra moving space was nice.

"I did tell him," Johnny scoffed, "Keith!"

"So, what do I have to look forward to?" Georgia smiled. She glanced back to see if Dally was still looking but he'd sauntered off. His strange mood had returned.

"Only the nastiest drink in Oklahoma," Soda had a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. He nearly dragged Georgia across the room to the bar she'd previously set records at. "Buck, we'll take one 'How did I get here?' please."

Buck shook his head with a short chuckle, "Brace yourself for this one, kid."

Georgia watched as Buck poured almost every liquor imaginable into a pint glass, and topped it off with lemonade.

"This is a terrible idea isn't it," Georgia eyed the glass in front of her.

"It's better if you chug," Darry had popped up next to her, "Two-Bit and I are the only ones who've had the unfortunate pleasure of drinking it. And it's definitely better if you chug."

"Ah, so this is the 21 and over drink?" Georgia shook her head. The liquid was an unsettling brown. There was nothing enticing about it.

"Once you finish that, the real fun begins," Soda licked his lips, anticipating Georgia's reaction.

"Right, fine. Down the hatch," she brought the glass to her lips. Georgia could not remember a time she regretted something so instantaneously. Somehow, the drink burned and stung at the same time. The only flavor she could make out was gin. Nothing mixes well with gin. She powered through, knowing that if she stopped, she'd never finish. Finally, when the ice cubes hit her lips, she could breathe.

Darry looked at her with a knowing grimace. Soda however was impressed.

"Holy shit that's disgusting," Georgia coughed. Her mouth was nearly numb. She knew it wouldn't take long for her to feel it. The rest of the gang dispersed into the crowd and were mingling amongst themselves. Soda made it his goal to have Georgia do everything he planned including several drinking games, trying to beat inebriated Johnny in poker, play several rounds of pool (all of which Georgia won), and ultimately keep her away from Dally. Georgia knew Soda was weary of their friendship, but so was she. He confused her to no end and it honestly worried her. She normally had a good read on people, but the last time her intuition failed her, it had almost cost her life. Yet, she had an ache deep down that told her that Dally was a good one, and nothing bad would come from being friends with him. It was like a game of tug-o-war in her brain and both sides were equally as strong.

After winning her sixth game of pool in a row, Georgia found it hard to stand. She had no idea how many drinks deep she was, but it was way worse than last time. She could hold her liquor like a champ, but keeping her mouth shut was another story.

"Soda, Iyam gonna siddown," Georgia gave him a salute. She had no idea what time it was. Was it even still her birthday?

She made her way to the couch she'd sat on last time. As expected, Dally was sat there as well, observing the party. Georgia plopped down next to him and couldn't help but stare.

"It's rude to stare at people, yanno," he looked over his shoulder. Georgia's face was almost as rosy as her lips. Her eyes were glassy. She looked uninhibited.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Georgia didn't stop though. Despite her last shred of accountability was screaming at her, the much larger, stupider part of her head just wanted to look at the boy.

"He gave you that big ass drink didn't he?" Georgia nodded slowly in response. She felt like she was moving in slow motion.

"Iyam gonna regret this all in the mornin'," she yawned. She leaned back against the couch. The cold leather felt good against her burning skin.

"Don't say anything stupid then," Dally grumbled. If Georgia had been sober, she may have noticed the way Dally couldn't look right at her.

"Wasn't gonna," Georgia closed her eyes, "anyone ever told you you got pretty eyes?"

"That would be exactly the kind of thing you weren't supposed to say," Dally sighed deeply, " but no."

"They should. And I'm not flirtin' wishou, before you get any ideas," she tapped her temple lightly with her finger.

"Wasn't thinking that actually," Dally assured her. There was a bite to his tone, but Georgia didn't care.

"So, what didya get me?" she sat up, crossed her legs, and put her chin in her hands.

"Ah right, this," Dally pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his jacket. When he unfurled it Georgia could see it was a pamphlet from the creepy motel. Georgia narrowed her once gleeful eyes.

"You and Soda are gonna kill me one day," she snatched the paper but smiled softly.

"Right, and this," from next to him, Dally pulled out a square box. It was white and nondescript. Georgia opened it to find a slice of chocolate cake with pink frosting and a cherry. "Soda told me chocolate was your favorite. Darry bakes it. And before I forget."

Dallas pulled a small green candle from his pocket along with a lighter. He stuck the candle in the cake haphazardly and lit it.

"Happy birthday," he said so only she could hear. The warm candlelight danced on Georgia's features. It lit her up against the dark green room. Dally, try as he might, couldn't take his eyes off her. Georgia was unaware. She blew out the candle, making a wish as she did. The moment wisped away with the smoke.

Dally also happened to have a fork in his pocket. Georgia accepted gladly and finished the piece in no time, leaving the cherry for last.

"That's the best fucking cake I've ever had," Georgia popped the cherry into her mouth and pulled it away from the stem, "Wanna see a trick?"

"No way you can tie it," Dally already knew what she was going to do. Before he could protest, Georgia was already attempting the feat. Within seconds, a perfectly tied cherry stem appeared between her bright red lips.

"Cool, right?" Georgia dropped the stem in the box and laid lengthwise on the couch, careful to keep her legs away from Dally. He only nodded in response. "Yanno, I've been thinkin'."

"Hmm," Dally hummed. He had his hands behind his head and leaned back into the sofa. Georgia looked up at the ceiling.

"I wanna start a list of things I haven't done," she mumbled.

"Like what?" Dally was now intrigued at what things would be on Georgia's list. Dally's was filled with things that had childlike wonder: ride a bike, see a shooting star, and finally watch _Citizen Kane._

"Well for one I've never smoked weed," Georgia laughed.

"You're jokin'," Dally was in disbelief. By her demeanor alone, he figured this to be a lie.

"Dead serious, I never got around to it," now that the cake was in her system, she could feel herself start to liven back up. She was still horribly wasted, but not so much as to be completely out of it.

Dally glanced at a clock Georgia hadn't noticed, "Well, since it's only nine, we've got plenty of time. You sober up for a bit, and I'll get Johnny."

Before Georgia could protest, Dally disappeared into the crowd.

"It's only nine?" Georgia muttered to herself, "Time really does move slower down here."


	9. Johnny Likes Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia, Dally, and Johnny have some good ole fashioned fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY!!!!!! ive been so busy lately i started school again i moved into an apartment and started beauty school ive literally had no time but if you stuck around thank you so much i promise updates will be more frequent!! also if this is horribly edited i apologize

Johnny Likes Boys!

August 12, 1968

She'd been on the couch for what felt like ages. She had a feeling it was Dally's way of forcing her to sober up and drink the water Soda had brought for her. Soda was now planted next to her arguing about their favorite music.

"Rolling Stones are better," Soda said with his arms crossed. He was very obviously against any criticism.

"Have you listened to Credence though? Because, I think you'd change your mind," Georgia took another sip of water. She drank nothing but for at least thirty minutes. She was far from sober, but not nearly at blitzed as before.

"Yes, and the Stones are better," Soda was obviously done arguing after this. He refused to allow anyone to tell him that the music he liked was inferior to another. The two sat in an agreed silence, unsure of what to do next. That was until Johnny and Dally finally came sauntering over. There was a smirk on Johnny's face when he looked at Georgia. As per usual, she reconsidered the decisions that lead her to this point. Though, she thought maybe creating a list of her own would make Dally less ashamed by his. It was an unfounded thought, but an interesting one nonetheless.

"Ok who's better, the Stones or Credence," Soda asked the two boys. Without hesitation, Johnny answered Credence. Dally said the Stones. Georgia and Soda eyed each other, this battle would have to be finished later. 

"Soda, I would ask you to join us, but after last time..." Johnny trailed off. Soda looked confused for a moment before coming to a realization

"Gotcha, definitely not my speed," Soda excused himself, "You to be nice to her, or I'm comin' for ya."

Georgia finally stood up off the couch and stretched, "What happened last time?"

"You don't wanna know," was all Johnny said.

Behind Buck's was a large field that backed up to the tracks. There wasn't any light except for the pale moon and the green tinge from the windows. The group walked a bit towards the middle of the field, where Johnny eventually plopped into the grass. Georgia and Dally followed suit. Johnny had already pulled a joint from his jacket and was lighting it.

"Now," he took a hit to make sure it was lit, "I know you smoke, but this kinda burns."

"Can't be worse than cigarettes," Georgia brushed the warning off.

"Suit yourself," Johnny passed the joint to her with a look of incredulity.

Georgia quickly realized Johnny was right. It was much hotter and much thicker than cigarette smoking. The lack of a filter had made all the difference, and before she could stop herself, Georgia felt like she was coughing up a lung.

Johnny burst into laughter; Dally covered his mouth so Georgia couldn't see his grin.

"Holy shit," she coughed again, "Okay let me try again." Johnny tried to yell no before it was too late and failed. Luckily, Georgia didn't couch nearly as much this time. She silently passed the joint to Dally, who was able to hit it without any issue. Johnny did the same. After a few rounds through the circle, Georgia could tell she was comfortably high. It was something much more enjoyable than having the room spin in front of her.

"Guys," she said exhaling some smoke, "is the s or c silent in scent."

Johnny and Dally looked at her in amazement. It was hilarious to them to have someone with them who was funny when high. Two-Bit and Steve mostly ate, Pony usually got sad, and Soda, well, Soda didn't smoke anymore.

"I think it's the c," Dally reasoned. Johnny disagreed.

"Wait, so what happened to Soda?" Georgia laughed.

"Oh god," Johnny handed the joint back to her, "last time he got completely stoned. Like, totally blitzed. And he goes into the street and lays on his back, and goes 'Don't move me y'all I'm a speedbump now."

"Yeah, and when we tried to move him he goes, 'It's my civic duty'," Dally was almost in tears.

"Speedbump Soda," Georgia snickered. This sent them back into a fit of laughter. Once it calmed down Georgia had another question lined up. "Random question Johnny, but do you have a girlfriend?"

Johnny and Dally looked at each other, both of their faces showed they were three seconds away before dying of laughter. When Georgia muttered 'what', they couldn't help it. Johnny laughed so hard that he had to clutch his sides. Dally's head was in his hands and his body shook from giggles.

"No," Johnny wheezed, "no I definitely don't."

"Sorry, I didn't-" she started but Johnny cut her off.

"No," he was still laughing, "no it's not that."

"Johnny doesn't like girls," Dally breathed, "it's just funny 'cause everyone thinks it's obvious. Especially 'cause of his giant crush on-"

Dally's face was met with a chunk of dirt. Johnny had grabbed some beside him and thrown it directly at his head.

"Shut your trap, Dal," Johnny was serious all of a sudden. There was still a smirk on his face, but he obviously didn't want Dally to say a word more.

"You're too old for him anyway," this made Johnny leap over and tackled Dally. They wrestled for a minute, all the while Johnny was shouting 'Shut up, asshole'.

Once both of them had settled down and were sufficiently covered in dirt, they sat in a circle without a word.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Johnny then asked.

"No," Georgia jested, "kissed a girl at a party once but that was it. What about you?"

"No, Dally's too prideful to be in love, or feel anything really, even though deep, deep, deep, very deep down, he's a softie," before Dally could chuck dirt back at Johnny, he said, "We're even."

After sitting for a while longer, the group decided to make their way back inside. They found everyone enthralled by Darry playing pool. When they got to the table, it was clear he was making his way through the crowd, beating everyone who tried. Being the only sober one at the party, it wasn't like Darry had immense difficulty beating everyone.

"Let me try," Georgia piped up from behind Johnny. Darry's wrinkled his brows then motioned for her to come to try.

"This chick's gonna beat us all at everything," Dally grumbled, memories of his record being destroyed coming to mind.

"Not me though," Johnny sassed, "Can't beat me in poker."

Darry racked and broke the balls, getting two solids in followed by the two, and three balls. He missed by a hair on five. Georgia wasn't worried. Of all the things she'd busied herself with in Chicago, drinking and hustling people in pool were near the top of the list. She managed to sink nine, ten, 11, and 12 in a row but missed on 13. Darry then got five, and six, followed by Georgia with 13, and 14. This was looking to be a very short game. Georgia realized at this point it must've been late because lots of the people that had been there before had left.

She was brought from her thoughts when she saw Darry lining his back up with the table. The eight-ball was perfectly in line with the cue ball and the pocket. However, it was impossible to get without hitting it from behind your back. Something Darry executed perfectly. Georgia's mouth dropped.

"Ah, the signature move, gets you every time," Johnny placed a sympathetic hand on Georgia's shoulder.

"Worth a shot," she sighed.

She lingered around with the group for a while longer, before they came to an unspoken agreement that it was time to go home. Two-Bit had left a while ago with some girl, so Georgia was left without a ride.

Everyone said a final happy birthday to Georgia and made their way out the door. Georgia stood on the stoop for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to get home. Soda, Steve and Darry had gotten in a car together and left. Johnny and Pony walked off to who knows where, and Dally leaned up against the wall smoking a cigarette. Georgia decided to just walk the 20 minutes it would take her. It was still warm, and the streetlights gave her enough light to get back safe. Halfway through the lot, Dally yelled at her.

"What, you're not gonna ask me to walk you home?" his arms gesturing to show his confusion.

"Do you wanna walk me home?" Georgia put her hands on her hips.

"No, just figured you'd ask," Dally leaned back against the wall.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Georgia turned and continued, "goodnight Dallas."

Before she knew it Dally was at her side, scoffing, "Don't call me Dallas. And I'm only doin' this so I don't feel guilty. Don't want you gettin' beat up and it bein' my fault."

"I'd be fine," Georgia pulled a switchblade out of her jacket and opened it. Dally's eyes widened. She immediately put it away.

"I didn't know you had that," Dally kicked a rock in front of him. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets.

"Believe it or not, there's a lot you don't know about me," Georgia breathed. She picked at her cuticles again.

"Ok fine, favorite candy?" Dally looked at her. He was completely serious. After that morning at the diner, Georgia hadn't expected anymore questions from Dally.The pair were both so all over the place with their emotions for each other, that it seemed pointless to try. It was either sweet moments or bickering. Georgia didn't bother to sort any of this out. Dally was just the only other person in the gang she felt herself growing close to.

"Sweetarts, you?"

"Starbursts, okay, uh favorite color?" Dally had a whole list of questions ready.

"Pink."

"Pink? Wouldn't have guessd. Also since you forgot to ask, mine's red. Movie?"

"It would be red," Georgia ran a hand through her hair, "Twelve Angry Men."

"Psycho's mine," they turned a corner, "biggest fear?"

Georgia had a hitch in her step.

Him.

"Heights."

"Same actually, can't stand it. Alright, hard one. Someone you really miss."

Georgia sighed heavily, "My mom."

Dally could tell this was a bad question. Until this point, he'd figured Georgia's mom had been alive and well, living in Chicago. He realized that was far from the case.

"She died when I was 11. And my dad hated me after, because I reminded him of her. A lot of things would've gone differently if she hadn't died. For example, maybe my dick dad wouldn't have kicked me out at 17," Georgia was wistful.

"'M sorry," Dally was quiet.

"It's okay, really. It would just be interesting to see where I'd end up if she was around. Parental advice and all that. Besides, I haven't talked to him since then. Not sure I'd really want to anyway."

They walked the rest of the way back to Georgia's apartment without talking. Before she opened the door to the hall, she remembered her car was at the Curtis'.

I'll get it tomorrow.

She turned away from the door to face Dally, who's attention was taken by a moth fluttering next to a lamp.

"I have a question," Georgia looked up at him. She noticed how tall he was. When he looked down at her, his hair fell over his forehead. For once, he looked peaceful.

"Shoot."

"What Johnny said, is that true? That you're completely incapable of feeling anything? Because I really don't like being screwed with," Georgia bit her tongue. It had been a mean question. Dally had been relatively nice to her, but if it was all for show, or some endgame he had in mind, she had no desire to entertain it.

"Used to be," he pushed his hair out his face, "I used to be even more of a dick. A couple years ago though, Johnny almost died, and I got bent over it. I dunno know, it kinda made me rethink shit. I'm not bein' nice to you as a joke though. I think you're cool. And I don't completely hate bein' around you."

"Gee thanks," Georgia played with the keys in her pocket.

"Look, I'm sure Soda's already explained to you that I'm no good, so I won't do it again, but I'm bein' honest. And quite frankly, I think you should be allowed to think for yourself," he didn't speak like he was angry. There was something pleading in his voice. It was like he was begging Georgia to see him, to really see him.

"Yeah," Georgia stared at her shoes, "goodnight Dally."

Dally nodded, "Goodnight Georgia."

When she was finally alone in her room, Georgia went directly to bed. She didn't sleep a wink.


	10. A Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia hears from someone she doesn't expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall this is when things FINALLY get interesting lmao next chapter is gonna be something lol

** A Phone Call **

August 25, 1968

It was hard to believe August was nearly over. Georgia's four-month anniversary of moving to Tulsa was nearing. She'd officially known the boys for a month. And due to the recent hire at Paulette's, she'd been able to spend ample time with them. She learned lots about all of them in their time together. Darry didn't smoke and hated bananas. Sodapop's favorite move was _Rebecca,_ even though he hated the accents. Ponyboy was insanely smart and got a kick out of correcting people. Two-Bit was without a doubt the nicest, even though he was a bit scatterbrained. Steve was, well, Steve, and he enjoyed doing stupid things. For example, he tried jumping onto the roof from on top of a car. Even though it worked, he ended up with a busted lip. Lastly, Johnny was a professional at pressing people's buttons.

Dally, however, gave no indication that he'd be any nicer than the bare minimum. Whatever heart-to-heart moment he and Georgia had on her birthday was dead and gone. She wondered if his ability to change his emotions like this tired him out. There was no way it wasn't debilitating trying to convince everyone he was someone he wasn't.

They were all sat at the kitchen table, midday sunlight bathed the room in a warm glow. Everyone was bored. The heat had made the outdoors almost unbearable. It was like the weather was taunting them. There was nothing to do inside, but the outside was sticky and gross. Every few minutes someone would suggest something to do, but it was always followed by a choir of groans. Georgia hadn't offered anything until this point, because she had a feeling it'd be denied. Then she had a ridiculous idea.

"Any of you want a tattoo?" she cracked her knuckles to occupy herself. All the boys looked at her as if she'd suggested they commit arson.

"What?" Steve asked. He'd been the one suggesting the most and was clearly unsure of how this captured everyone's attention.

"I gave myself a few shitty ones," Georgia pulled her left sleeve up to show a small collection of stick-and-pokes on her bicep, "they all suck but it's something to do till we find something better."

"I'm sold, I want a heart," Johnny shrugged.

"It's going to be garbage, just so you know," Georgia reminded him. This was obvious by the shaky fading lines on her arm.

"I can't look any worse," Johnny motioned to himself.

"Right then I need a needle, a pen, some string, and a pencil," Georgia started clearing the table while Johnny went to search for supplies. The rest of the boys filtered into the family room, where they waited to see how Johnny's tattoo turned out. The tv had been turned on and was relatively loud. Johnny returned with the necessary items.

"Can you do one of those candy hearts, and make it say like babe or somethin'," Johnny asked, watching Georgia turn the pencil, needle, and string into a makeshift tattoo gun.

"You sure you want one?" she asked once more as she broke the pen open. Johnny nodded surely. Georgia stuck the needle into the ink and began.

"Dally didn't say anything else about, uh, my," Johnny started.

"No, he didn't. Besides, I think I figured it out anyway," Georgia looked up slightly from her work. Johnny closed his eyes.

"Shit," he whispered.

"I'm not going to say anything, don't worry," she worked on the outline of the heart. She didn't want it to be huge, but it had to be big enough to fit a word in it.

"You think he knows? God that would blow," Johnny rubbed his eyes with his free hand.

"I don't think so, but I don't think it would be the worst thing ever if he did," Georgia went back over the outline to darken it. Tattooing others was much easier than doing it yourself. It was coming along better than she expected.

"I dunno, he's like my best friend," Johnny winced when Georgia poked him too hard.

"Gotta be honest with you, Johnny, I'm the worst at this stuff. But, maybe just ask him, in a roundabout way, see how he feels," Georgia moved on to the word.

"Yanno, the only guy I ever kissed was Dal," Johnny snorted. Georgia stopped.

"Shut up," Georgia said, a drop of ink splattered onto the table.

"Dead serious. Wasn't a dare either," Johnny looked over at Dally, who was absentmindedly staring at the tv, "It was kind of a thing for a while, but in the end yanno..."

"I'll be damned," she was nearly finished with the tattoo.

"Good kisser too, in case you were wondering," he winked.

"And you're done," Georgia smiled. Johnny held back a chuckle and turned to the group.

"Well?" he asked. Everyone nodded in approval. Steve leaped up, eager to be the next one to get inked.

"How hard would doing a car be?" he asked.

"If it's small, I think I can manage."

Steve held up his thumb and pointer finger to indicate the size he wanted. Georgia agreed and got to work.

"Speaking of cars, I figured you would've asked to drive mine by now," Georgia was focused intently on not making the car look like a bus.

"Well, I figured after Dally wound y'all up in Arkansas, it was off-limits. It's a stingray right?"

"Yeah, 1956. And as long as we don't cross any state lines I don't see an issue."

"Really? Sweet," Steve smiled to himself. He watched Georgia with wonder as the pen ink slowly turned into a car. This required much more focus than a heart. From behind Georgia, the phone rang. This prompted Darry to get up from the chair he was in and answer. Georgia tried not to let the extra noise distract her. But when Darry tapped her shoulder and said the phone was for her, she had no choice but to stop what she was doing.

_Did I have work today?_

"Hello?"

"Hello, darling."

Georgia went cold. Her hand tightened so hard around the phone she thought she might break it. All the blood had drained from her face. She could feel her heart thumping against her ribcage. The world around her continued. But, next to the wall, holding the phone, she was frozen. She didn't think she'd be able to move no matter how hard she tried.

"No, no-,"

"You know, you're a hard person to find, sweetheart. Leaving this number on your voicemail made my job a whole lot easier. So Oklahoma, how's that?"

"You're supposed to be-,"

"In jail? Oh, I am don't worry. But I've been good lately, maybe they'll let me out early"

"If you try and find me," Georgia couldn't breathe.

"You'll what? Try and hurt me like last time? You can't touch me, baby. I'm unstoppable. Besides, I got lots of people willing to help me. You made a lot of people mad by landing me in here."

"This isn't possible," she whispered. Tears were forming in her eyes. She had gone numb.

"It's very possible," there was a voice yelling in the background, "Oh, seems my time is up. Goodbye, beautiful."

The line went dead. Georgia hung up the phone so slowly she felt like she was in slow motion. She turned to Steve, shaking as she did.

"Steve, where's the bathroom?" she asked softly. He pointed through the doorway to another open door. Georgia walked slowly to try and avoid drawing attention, but Steve had already seen the tears.

Georgia made it to the bathroom and managed to shut the door before breaking down. She muffled her sobs with her hands but it was no use. She could hear the boys outside trying to figure out what was happening. Georgia sank down against the bathtub. She hugged her knees to her chest to avoid shaking uncontrollably. Her cheek was bleeding from biting it. Her cuticles were bleeding from picking them. Her face and shirt were soaked from crying. She sat there, broken, unable to think of what to do next.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Georgia?" it was Soda. He likely offered to help because of what she'd said in the car those weeks ago.

Georgia could only hum in response. Her brain wanted to talk but her mouth didn't let her.

Soda pushed open the door slowly, and upon seeing Georgia, closed it quickly and sat down.

"Hey, hey, what happened?" his voice was gentle. It calmed her ever so slightly.

"My, my, he," she choked, "he called."

"Is this about what you told me in the car?" Soda could tell he would have to figure most of this out on his own. Georgia was in no state to talk. She could only nod.

"He knows, he knows, I'm h-here."

"Where is he?"

"Jail," Georgia had scratched her arm so hard there were welts. Deep down she knew she was safe, at least for the time being. But after hearing his voice so clearly over the phone, it had shaken her. She thought she'd escaped it all, but it had come back to swallow her up.

"In Chicago?" Georgia nodded in response, "Then you're okay. I know it was scary, but you're safe. He can't hurt you now."

"He s-said they might l-let him out," Georgia was taken by another round of tears. The idea that he might be able to walk free terrified her. And even though he didn't know what city she was in, she knew it wouldn't take long to find her. Especially driving around in a car he gave to her.

"Then he'd go right back in the cooler if he came down here. Breakin' probation. He can't get you, Georgia. It might not feel that way now, but you're safe here," Soda looked at her sympathetically. He believed what he was saying, but it was clear Georgia was apprehensive.

"But you-you all, what if h-he gets you," Georgia coughed, "I don't want pe-people getting hurt 'cause of me."

"We'll be just fine," Soda smiled, "One guy against seven is nothin'."

Georgia took a deep, labored breath, "Don't tell anyone, I want to be the one to tell."

It came as a whisper. Out of all the boys in the gang, she was fully aware that Dally was the most reckless. And even if he didn't do it for Georgia, he'd look for a fight if someone came waltzing into town. She wasn't going to be responsible for her friends getting hurt or landing themselves in jail.

"I won't," Soda promised, "Do you need anything?"

Georgia shook her head slowly, "I'll b-be out in a minute."

Soda stood up and calmly left the room. She could hear worried conversation down the hall. She didn't want Soda to lie to everyone, but she also didn't want everyone to know. The more people that knew, the more danger everyone was in. Georgia stood up, shaking as she did. She grabbed the rim of the sink to steady herself. She saw her face in the mirror and swallowed. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. The guys would know what had happened when she walked out. She turned on the water and splashed her face in a failed attempt to look normal. There would be no lying her way out of this one. She'd have to say a friend called, or someone passed away.

After a few minutes of drenching herself with cold water, she opened the door. Everyone's eyes were on her. She was visibly shaken. Concern was plastered on all of their faces. She put up a wall and forced her voice back to normal.

"My dad called," Georgia sniffed, "Took me by surprise I guess."

She could see Soda give a sympathetic look. She walked over to the table where Steve was still sat patiently.

"Don't want you walking around with a half-assed tattoo," she smiled. Steve looked down at her. His eyebrows were etched together. Georgia ignored this and got to work finishing the car. It wasn't long after she finished that Two-Bit and Steve announced they were going to hang out with some girls. Steve was excited to show off his new tattoo. Pony and Johnny went off somewhere shortly after. Georgia decided she'd had enough interaction for the day, so she left with a fake excuse about work later.

She was halfway to her car when Dally came strolling up behind her.

"Hey," he called. Georgia turned around. She wasn't in the mood to be asked questions. "Was that really your old man?"

"Yes," she said with a straight face. Dally appeared to buy it but knew she was lying about work.

"Well, I was thinkin', about that list I have," he trailed off.

"What about it?" Georgia was exhausted from earlier. The fear had taken everything from her.

"You ever seen _Citizen Kane_?" he looked nervous.

"Don't tell me you wanna watch it," she breathed, "It's terrible."

"Not accordin' to the big shots," he shrugged, "It's on my list, okay, and none of the guys will watch it."

"Did you ask them?" she raised her eyebrows.

"No, but," Dally didn't have a response. Georgia sighed.

"Fine," she motioned to her car, "get in."


	11. Dairy Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia has a run in with the Socs.
> 
> possible injury tw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope those of you that celebrate christmas had a good one! and happy early new year :)

Dairy Queen

August 25, 1968

The drive was short. Dally tried to make conversation, but Georgia was not talking.

"Wait, you have the movie right?" Dally asked as they walked upstairs.

"Yeah, I needed it in high school and for some reason, I brought it with me. Bad idea since it's terrible," Georgia unlocked her front door. Last time, Dally had opted to stay outside. This was the first time anyone but she had been in her apartment. "Welcome to the pad."

"Roomy," Dally said. Her apartment opened into a living room and a small kitchen. There was a hall to the left that led to the bathroom and bedroom. The walls were light blue. There were a couch and a coffee table in the living room. A small counter came off the kitchen that served as a bar. Georgia tossed her keys onto the counter and went into the kitchen.

"Have you eaten?" she asked pulling a box of pancake mix out of the cabinet. Dally had already made his way to the couch.

"Nope," he took his jacket off and laid it over the arm of the couch.

"Well you need to eat so," she poured some mix into a bowl and added some water, "do you want chocolate chips?"

"Girly pancakes?"

"They're chocolate chips," Georgia shook her head, "but suit yourself."

Georgia quickly whipped up the food and brought it over to the coffee table, along with forks, and syrup.

"I'm gonna grab the movie, so wait for me," Georgia left to dig through her room for the tape. She couldn't remember where she'd left it. She hardly ever watched it, so it was bound to be in the back of her closet. Once all her clothes were in a pile, she found it sitting behind a shoebox.

"Prepare yourself," Georgia walked from the hallway to the VCR, "for the worst movie ever made."

"Can you stop ruinin' my dreams for like, a day?" Dally grumbled, mouth full of food.

"Okay, okay," she started the film, "But don't say I didn't warn you."

For the first forty minutes, Georgia had to explain what was going on. The accents were too hard to decipher, and even with Georgia's explanations, he was lost.

Georgia thought back to the paper she'd written on the movie in high school. It had been incomprehensible. English was her strong suit, but the movie had given her no inclination on what to write a paper on. It was easily her least favorite film, and Dally's half-interest in it irked her. She had tuned out most of what was happening on screen.

Finally, the scene she waited for came rolling onto the screen. The piles of things in Charles Foster Kane's house were being incinerated. One by one his things were tossed into a fire. Ending, with the sled. Painting on the bottom, through the flickering flames, was neatly painted 'Rosebud'. The credits rolled. Dally's mouth hung open.

"What the fuck?" he pointed at the screen. Georgia sucked her teeth. She knew this is how he'd react.

"Told you," Georgia leaned back.

"The fucking sled?" Dally was pissed, "All that for a goddamned sled?"

"I warned you," she laughed, "it sucks."

"I didn't think it would be like that though," he crossed his arms and let out a groan, "We wasted two hours on that."

"Yeah but it's not like we had anything else to do," Georgia went over to remove the tape from the VCR. Dally was thinking.

"Should we do somethin'?" Dally asked.

"What you want a tattoo now? Shop's closed," Georgia placed the tape in the case and sat it on top of the tv. It wasn't like she hated spending time with Dally, but she definitely hadn't planned to be around him an entire day.

"No, no I don't want a tattoo," he twiddled his thumbs, "like, uh..."

"Insightful," Georgia was now in the kitchen grabbing herself and Dally water. It was unlikely he drink any on his own.

"Look, you're not throwin' me any ideas here," Dally argued.

"Ok fine, ice cream," Georgia handed Dally the glass of water, "Drink it. You can't survive on breakfast and booze."

"Ice cream?" Dally said in between gulps, "You want ice cream?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Georgia placed her glass on the coffee table.

"No, but," Dally played with his lips, "what is it gonna look like, yanno, me and you gettin' ice cream?"

"Two people getting ice cream probably," Georgia battled, "You know what, nevermind. You want me to just take you home?"

"No, fine, we'll get ice cream. But don't say we're on a date."

"We're not going on a date," Georgia was irritated. The way this boy's mind worked was a mystery.

"Ok fine, I'm drivin'," Dally got up and grabbed the keys off the counter.

"No, you're not," Georgia grabbed them back with an annoying smile. Dally let out a groan.

"Girls, man."

Georgia elected to ignore this.

Dally directed Georgia to the Dairy Queen, looking over his shoulder as he did.

"What? You had no problem hanging with me the other times," Georgia took a sharp left.

"Yeah well, it wasn't light out. And this is different," Dally sunk into his seat.

"You are so weird," Georgia replied, "God forbid the world see Dallas Winston being nice."

"Don't call me Dallas," he bit. Georgia wasn't fazed by the anger he laced his words with anymore. His mood switched so randomly, that in the month she'd known him, she'd become accustomed to it.

Georgia turned into the parking lot, "What do you want?"

"Vanilla," Dally said, hunched over as far as possible.

"Be right back, tough guy," Georgia got out and shut the door harder than she meant to. For 5:30 on a Sunday, Dairy Queen was busy. The lot was filled with Mustangs and Camaros. She'd noticed that all eyes had turned to her car. The top was still up, so Dally was partially hidden. But if you looked hard, you could see him hunkered inside.

Georgia walked up to the window, ignoring the large group of guys eyeing her. She had on a pink skirt, white top, and her usual black and white shoes. Normally, she opted for jeans since she wore dresses at work, but today she'd chosen differently. And boy did she regret it. The group of boys seated on the hoods of their cars didn't hold back in yelling at her. Each step she took was followed by a new catcall. It wasn't as if this was a new experience, but it made her blood boil.

"What can I get you pretty lady?" the boy at the window asked her with a sleazy smile.

"Vanilla cone and a dilly bar," Georgia didn't react. Reacting always made it worse. That was until a boy with curly hair and a vest came sliding up behind her.

"Hello baby," he smiled. He was dangerously close.

"Fuck off," she muttered. She stuck her hand in her skirt pocket, making sure her switchblade was there. She didn't want to pull it out, but if it came down to it, she would.

"Oh you're a naughty girl aren't you? Drivin' around in that sweet thing? You got a boy in there?" he asked.

"No, now fuck off," Georgia inched to the side.

"You got two orders there," he sneered, "Gregg, there a boy in the car?"

The boy pointed at Georgia's car. The last thing she wanted was Dally getting involved. Her gut told two things: one, Dally knew these guys, and two, he wasn't going to be happy being noticed out with a girl.

"Paul, you won't fuckin' believe this. This girl's got Dally Winston in her car."

Great.

"Let me tell you something, Paul," Georgia turned to face him, completely ignoring the ice cream waiting for her, "You leave me and Dally alone, and I won't break your nose."

"Hear that boys, little miss perfect says she's gonna break my nose," he moved in so close to her she was flattened against the wall. Gregg was now taunting Dally, who was completely unaware of what was going on. Gregg had managed to drag Dally out of the car and into the lot.

"Move," Georgia's voice dripped poison. Her hand was grasped firmly on her blade.

"No," Paul pressed himself up against Georgia. Dally had now seen what was happening. Gregg held his arms behind him. The boy in the Dairy Queen window had walked away, likely to call the police.

Georgia removed her right hand from her blade. In one swift motion, it moved from her pocket to Paul's nose. With a satisfying crunch, Paul's nose broke. He cowered backward a few steps. Immediately, Georgia's hand began throbbing. Blood sprayed all over her shirt. Dally, saw Paul bent over, and took this as a sign. He threw Gregg off his back. Gregg retaliated by punching Dally square in the jaw.

Paul, clearly full of rage, grabbed Georgia's shoulders and threw her back into the wall. Her head smacked into the brick. Dally and Gregg were throwing punches left and right at each other. She couldn't tell who was winning.

Georgia kneed Paul in the stomach finally collapsing him to the ground. Another boy who had been sitting on a car ran over to try and grab Georgia. She quickly pulled her blade out of her pocket.

"Touch me and you'll fucking regret it," she pointed it straight at him. She knew she looked insane. The boy ran off and hopped into a car.

"Gregg!" he screamed from the window, "Let's bail man!"

The faint noise of sirens wailed in the distance. At this, Gregg landed one final punch on Dally and sprinted to the car. Paul had hauled himself off the ground and managed to get himself in as well. Dally, however, was bent over the back of Georgia's car, bleeding profusely. Georgia had a feeling Gregg had pulled a blade on him but she couldn't tell.

"Get in the car, Dal," Georgia was frantic. The sirens were getting closer. She did not want to go to jail, especially not for streetfighting.

"Where's my ice cream?" Dally stood up. His face was covered in blood.

"Are you fucking insane? Get in the goddamn car!" Georgia pushed him to the door, where he finally obliged and lowered himself into the seat.

Georgia was sure she'd never driven faster. She pulled out of the lot so fast, gravel kicked up onto the back windshield. She made it from Dairy Queen to the Curtis' in six minutes. The lights were on which was a good sign. She didn't want to waste any time. She threw the car in park and clambered over to the passenger's side door. She opened it quickly and pulled Dally out with all the strength she could manage. Dally leaned into Georgia. She had no idea how much blood he'd lost. He groaned as she shut the door.

Georgia could hear loud chatter inside, promising that several of the gang were there. She noticed Two-Bit's car in the driveway.

"Few more steps, come on," Georgia nearly dragged him up the steps. His head was hanging on her shoulder. Georgia got up to the top step and pulled the door open. All the talking stopped at the sight of the two. Georgia had realized how much blood was on the two of them.

"Got any bandaids?"


	12. Bruises and Bandaids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia is tasked with patching Dally up.
> 
> tw// mention of abuse

**Bruises and Bandaids**

August 25, 1968

Georgia was leaning up against the door frame. Dally was becoming less and less capable of standing, and being much taller than her, supporting him was a struggle. Two-Bit, Steve and Johnny were on the couch, their eyes all wide in fear.

"Darry!" Johnny yelled. He scrambled up from the couch to help Georgia bring Dally over to the couch. Two-Bit and Steve had gotten up and cleared the area. Dally moaned every inch of the way.

"Darry!" Johnny screamed even louder this time.

Steve was busying himself taking off Dally's jacket and shirt. They were soaked red, furthering Georgia's suspicions of Gregg pulling a blade. It took quite a few tries to peel off the shirt, the blood had plastered it to his stomach. Once it had been removed, it was obvious Gregg had fought dirty. There was a long gash on his stomach. It was much deeper than she expected; deep enough to create significant blood loss.

Georgia's hand and head were throbbing painfully, but she didn't waste any time. Darry still hadn't turned up so she got to work.

"Alcohol, where's the alcohol?" she tried her best to remain calm.

"Top shelf, right of the fridge," Steve pointed. Two-Bit had gotten up to look out back for Darry. Soda finally popped out of his room as Georgia hurried to the kitchen. It was then she realized the entire right side of her shirt was drenched. There was a bloody handprint on her left shoulder where Paul grabbed her. Soda only nodded before running after Two-Bit to look for his older brother. Ponyboy was yet to be seen.

Georgia rummaged through the cabinet before finding a bottle of vodka. She grabbed a seemingly clean towel from the counter and hurried back out to the living room. Steve had gone to the bathroom to look for other supplies. When Georgia kneeled down next to Dally, she could tell he was drifting in and out of consciousness. She slapped his face lightly.

"Hey, stay awake for me okay?" Georgia poured the vodka onto the towel until it was soaked through, "This is gonna hurt."

She pressed the towel firmly into the wound. Dally yelped in pain. She saw his eyes roll back into his head. Darry had finally walked in, followed by Two-Bit, and Soda.

"Do not fall asleep, you hear me?" she continued pressing the wound, "I need dental floss and a needle!"

She grabbed a lighter off the couch side table. No matter how much she wiped, the cut wouldn't stop bleeding. She was going to have to stitch it up. Dally was fading in between cries of pain and complete silence. If she didn't do this now, they were in trouble. Her hands and wrists were coated in thick, drying blood.

Steve returned from the bathroom, hands full of bandages, medical tape, and gauze. Darry came shortly after holding a pack of needles and floss. Georgia accepted everything with her free hand.

"Hold that there," she told Steve. He pressed the towel onto Dally's stomach which earned a pained grunt.

Georgia pulled a needle from the pack, bent it so it was curved, and burned the tip with the lighter. She then poured some of the vodka over it, trying to get it as sterile as possible. She then carefully threaded the floss through the eye of the needle, leaving enough slack that it wouldn't fall out.

"Dally, whatever you do, don't move," Georgia spoke. She took a deep breath and motioned for Steve to move his hands a bit. Georgia did her best to pinch the cut together and began. As expected the minute the needle broke the skin, Dally's eyes rolled.

"Keep him awake," Georgia pleaded with Two-Bit. Two-Bit positioned himself at the arm of the couch, continually pinching Dally to keep him conscious.

Georgia stitched quickly. Johnny sat at the table, looking on in horror. Ponyboy had walked in through the back. Georgia could hear Darry quietly telling him what was going on. It was difficult to explain, no one knew what had happened besides Dally and Georgia. Soda paced the room biting his nails.

Georgia was halfway done when the floss pulled out the end of the needle.

"Shit, shit," she quickly tied a know at the loose end on Dally's stomach. She pulled another piece through the eye and started stitching again. Dally was whimpering in pain. She didn't know how much longer he'd be able to take it. He'd lost way too much blood.

"Hang in there okay? I'm almost done," she said. Her voice wavered. Dally only managed a frail hum in response. Johnny was almost in tears when Darry and Ponyboy joined him at the table. Georgia tried her hardest to maintain composure for the sake of the others, but deep down she was terrified.

After what seemed like hours, she pulled the needle through one last time. She broke the floss with her teeth and tied a knot. Steve cleaned the wound one last time before going to discard the bright red towel. Georgia grabbed some of the gauze and tape and started fastening a dressing to the gash. Satisfied with the bandage, Georgia made sure there were no more cuts that needed to be tended to. After confirming the only other place he'd been hurt was his face, she stood up and let out the breath she'd been holding.

Two-Bit and Steve had joined the others at the table. Georgia went to grab another towel to clean up Dally's face.

There was a nasty cut on his lip. One of his eyes was swelling. There was another cut on his eyebrow. His knuckles were badly bruised as well. Georgia poured alcohol on the new towel and kneeled back down. She cleaned his face as softly as he could. Somehow, he had managed to stay awake through everything. He looked at Georgia as she patted his face. His eyes were pained and thankful.

"You okay?" he whispered.

Georgia shook her head in disbelief, "I should be asking you that. What'd you do all that for?"

"They were messin' with you," he groaned as Georgia pressed the towel to his eyebrow. She then placed a bandage over the cut. His lip would have to heal on its own.

"Get some rest, okay?" Georgia brushed a piece of his hair away from the cut. Dally nodded gently. After a minute or so, Georgia stood up, grabbed everything off the floor, and walked to the kitchen. She dropped the towel into the garbage can and everything else on the counter. Soda was waiting for her, leaned against the sink.

"What the fuck happened?" he was quiet. Georgia ran her hands through her hair, ignoring the blood.

"We went to get ice cream, then some, I don't know some fucking guy in a vest started screwing with us," Georgia recounted, "I broke his nose, his name's Paul. Another guy named Gregg is the one that got Dally."

"Fuckin' Socs," Soda seethed. He bit his lip to keep himself from saying more. "They didn't do nothin' to you right?"

"No, I got him first," Georgia pulled her knife out of her pocket, "I flashed this and they were gone."

Soda nodded, "Let's get you cleaned up."

Georgia knew she was a mess, but when she saw in the mirror just how much blood was on her, she nearly fainted.

"No cuts right?" Soda asked, pulling the door shut behind him. He had brought one of his shirts in from his room. Hers was ruined. She was sat on the edge of the tub and tried to pull her shirt off. It was crisp from the slowly drying substance. Soda turned away for a moment so Georgia could change privately.

"No cuts," she tossed her previously white shirt to the floor, "You can turn around."

Normally, she would've been more shaken up. But her body had been pumping adrenaline for the past hour, so now she was exhausted. Soda wiped her face and hands gingerly. He could tell she was beat.

"How'd you learn all that?" Soda asked in reference to her medical skills.

"Charlie," she murmured, "My ex. His name was Charlie. He used to get in fights all the time, sometimes with guys, sometimes me. It was always bad, he never knew when to stop, and he refused to go to hospitals, so I taught myself."

Her head lolled to one side. The headache had subsided and she was left with a dull ache. Her hand though was stiff and stung badly.

"He used to.." Soda trailed.

"Hit me," Georgia swallowed, "yeah. That's the least of it."

"Georgia, I-," she cut him off before he could apologize.

"Don't be."

"I'm glad you knew what to do, with Dally's record he would've been sent straight back to jail," Soda replied honestly.

"Yeah. He's an idiot," Georgia rubbed her face. She was clean again. Soda didn't answer this time. He only looked at Georgia. There was something in his eyes she didn't recognize.

The two left the bathroom to find everyone still seated at the table.

"He'll be fine," she assured them, "He'll need painkillers and rest but he's not going to die."

Everyone took a communal breath of relief. Steve, Two-Bit, Johnny, and Pony stood up to go out back, likely to smoke. As good as a cigarette sounded to her, she didn't have the energy to smoke one.

Soda draped an arm over Georgia, "You need to go to bed." They walked down the hall to what she assumed to be Soda's room.

"No, I'll sleep on the chair, if he needs me-,"

"If he needs you, I'll get you. You did enough already. Go to bed," Soda waited until she was inside the room to close the door. Georgia exhaled. She made her way to the bed and curled into a tight ball. Sleep came easily.

\----

August 26, 1968

Soda shook her awake. The alarm clock next to the bed read 4:11 am.

"He's askin' for you," Soda shook his head, "he won't stop botherin' me about it."

Georgia rolled over and sat up, rubbing her eyes harshly.

"I'll wait in here," Soda laid back on his bead. Georgia nodded and walked to the family room, careful to make no noise. When she got to the couch, she found Dally fully alert. His face however showed fatigue.

"You okay?" she asked kneeling down. Dally didn't answer. "Dally?"

"Hey," was all he said.

"Hi."

"I didn't say thank you," his voice was so quiet she almost didn't hear him.

"You don't have to," she stood to go back to Soda's room, "go to bed.

Before she could take another step, Dally grabbed her wrist, "No, stay."

"Dally," she spoke in a defeated voice.

"Please," his hand was light against her wrist. She knew she couldn't say no, no matter how hard she tried. She took a long, deep breath and slowly sat on the couch. Dally moved back into the cushions as far as he could. Georgia laid herself down and positioned her body in a way that wouldn't hurt him. She rested her head against his bent right arm. Her breath was shaky as she did so. When she was fully on the couch, Dally wrapped his left arm lightly around her waist. His face was buried in her neck.

"Thank you."


End file.
